Victoria Wood. In Memoriam

Many websites report the tragic death of the comedian, singer, screenwriter and director Victoria Wood (1953-2016).

Comedian, singer and writer Victoria Wood has died after "a short but brave" battle with cancer aged 62.
Her publicist said the star "died peacefully at her north London home with family" on Wednesday.
Wood's long-time comedy partner Julie Walters said she was "too heart sore to comment - the loss of her is incalculable".
Wood found fame in the 1980s and was best known for her BBC sketch Acorn Antiques and comedy Dinnerladies.
She won five Baftas including two for her one-off ITV drama Housewife, 49.

A few months ago we reported on this blog how Alan Rickman had his only Brontë-related role precisely acting in a Victoria Wood sketch. This one: Brontëburgers (included in her 1993 book, Up to You, Porky)

Allison Pearson in The Telegraph's obituary quotes from the Brontëburgers sketch:

At what point did I stop thinking the woman on stage was merely hilarious and start to believe that she was a genius? I think it was during her imaginary tour of the Bronte Parsonage.

Wood played a ghastly, galumphing tour guide who couldn’t really be doing with those weedy, arty novelist types. Charlotte Bronte, she explained, was a gloomy individual because she didn’t have the use of blusher or drugs to help her maintain a more cheerful attitude. “In fact, she’d probably not be dead if she was alive today!” Wood concluded triumphantly.

The monologue was a miracle of comic compression. It captured quite brilliantly the sing-song idiocies of tour guides everywhere and it was uncannily prophetic about the hideous heritage industry. (You could eat “Bronteburgers” at the Heathcliff Nosher Bar where the healthy option was the Branwell Bronteburger.)

The actual quote: 

"Now if anyone would like a souvenir to take home as a souvenir, we have Brontë video-games, body-warmers, acrylic mitts, pedestal mats, feminine deodorants and novelty tea-strainers. Snacks and light refreshments are available in the Heathcliff Nosher Bar, so please feel free to sample our very popular Brontëburgers. Or for the fibre-conscious -- our Branwell Brontëburgers."