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"Hokey cokey, pig in a pokey!"
Pauline Campbell-Jones (recurring catchphrase[1][2][3][4][5][6][7])


Pauline Campbell-Jones, portrayed by Steve Pemberton, is one of the most heavily featured and long-running characters in The League of Gentlemen. Initially featuring in On the Town with League of Gentlemen across several episodes, she was carried over into the television series, appearing in the majority of episodes across the first,[1][2][3][4] second series,[5][8][9][10] the Christmas special[11] and third series.[12][13][14][15] She also features in The League of Gentlemen: Live at Drury Lane,[6] The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse[16] and The League of Gentlemen Are Behind You![7]

Pauline is recognized for her use of catchphrases such as "Hokey cokey, pig in a pokey!"[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] when greeting people as well as referring to the unemployed as "dole scum". Her affinity for pens, often cruel nature and the scrunching of her chin when annoyed are also prominent attributes of her character. She undergoes a large amount of character development across the three television series, beginning with the lead-up to her downfall at the hands of Ross Gaines,[1][2][3][4] her attempts at getting back at him,[8] kidnapping him to use as a hostage[9][10](leading to her imprisonment)[10] in the second series, and her redemption following her release from prison as she forms a relationship[12] and later marriage with Mickey Michaels.[15]

She is an integral part of the road accident story arc.[12][13][14][17][18][15] She made an appearance in Series 4, Episode 1: "Return to Royston Vasey" where she was reliving her role as a Job Center restart officer, which turned out to be a recreation to help her remember her life since she was diagnosed with Dementia. During the scene, she returned to her usual self when a doctor and Mickey were able to convince Ross to write something offensive on her board - when he approached the board, Pauline flipped it and broke Ross' jaw. In Episode 2 of Series 4: "Save Royston Vasey, Geoff Tipps was fulfilling his promise to Mike Harris, to kill his wife Cheryl. Template:Fact, He goes to what he believes to be Mike's house and kills who he thought was Cheryl. He calls Mike after doing so, who then reveals that he had moved house 4 years ago. He had sold it to Mickey and Pauline, meaning that Geoff had mistakenly killed Pauline instead - to which Mickey came home, distraught to find her dead with a cushion rammed in her mouth. Her character developments across the series are not carried over into her appearances outside the television series.[6][16][7]

Conception[]

Inspiration[]

The inspiration for Pauline came from Reece Shearsmith's own experience of a restart officer also named Pauline Campbell-Jones in 1992, in regards to which he stated "obviously not everything about them is the same, but yes, there is a real-life Pauline out there somewhere."[19] He described the woman as "Cockney," "having a chunky cardigan," and "longer [ginger] hair."[20]

Development[]

Pauline was initially performed on stage, appearing in the writers' very first show, even before they took on the name of The League of Gentlemen as a sketch based around job ideas[20] - later adapted into the television series.[1] When it came to writing the television series, despite there being ample material for Pauline, Pemberton stated they did not know how to begin her scenes. While filming the first series, Pemberton developed the "chunter", which is what he named Pauline's twitching of her lips.[20]

Character design[]

Pemberton portrayed her on stage without any wig, but one was introduced for the television series and was described as having a "hair horn." The writers envisioned her having a short crop, however.[20] This shorter hair design would be used in the third series, in which it was restyled for her prison stint.[12][13][14][15]

Pauline's make-up was applied by Martine Randall who aimed to "[get] a bit of Pat Butcher [in there]", a character from BBC soap opera EastEnders which Martine previously did make-up for.[20] Initially thinner, from the second episode[2] onwards, Pauline was given much thicker lipstick to emphasise Pemberton's "chunter."[20]

Ultimately designed by Yves Barre, multiple attempts were made at determining what her costume should be. Pemberton stated that the approach they ended up taking was "the simpler, the better". Shearsmith described it as a "Mark's and Spencer's look," while Barre noted that she appeared as if she worked in a building society.[20]

Sexuality[]

"Psychotic 50-year-old lesbian"

- "How DARE you?? I'm 48." ~ Pauline Campbell Jones

Pauline is shown to have some level of attraction to women. She admits during her roleplay interview that she has been in a relationship with a woman in past - Terri, clearly the more butch in the relationship, is seen in a photograph in Pauline's flat on top of the TV in Series Two. The photograph shows her and Pauline at a resort, both of them topless. There is a letter written by Pauline to Terri in the Local Book which shows the photo, and that Pauline still desires to see her.

In Series Three, Pauline (now in jail) has become the head of a group of lesbians. Once released, however, Pauline falls in love with Mickey and also sleeps with Ross in a moment of sudden passion, before marrying the former at the end of the series. This would likely make her bi or pansexual.

Appearances[]

Radio series[]

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Television series[]

Ross interviews Pauline

Ross interviews Pauline in a roleplay regarding interview technique, in which Ross ultimately deems Pauline unsuited for the role to her anger.[3]

Pauline is one of the first characters to appear in the series and, in her début. A vicious bully, she despises her job as well as the people on it, sneeringly describing them as "dole scum". She particularly hates Ross, a somewhat pompous jobsworth type who wants to learn real techniques to get work. The only person she likes in the group is Mickey, a man with learning difficulties who wants to be a fireman. She never hesitates to hurl insults at the group and in particular Ross. She also has an unusual obsession with pens.[1]

In her next appearance she encourages the job seekers to attempt to sell the Big Issue, and makes Ross take part in an enactment of how it should be sold. After refusing to beg her to buy it, Pauline assaults him with the magazine, before having Mickey take part in a far easier enactment.[2] Pauline has Ross take part in another role play in which they enact a job interview situation, but Ross uses it as an opportunity to humiliate her, and deems her unfit for the job. Initially appearing calm, she assaults Ross again afterwards, only being convinced to stop her attack by Mickey.[3] At the end of the series, Ross reveals himself to have been an internal investigator from Social Security, and tells Pauline she will be removed from her job due to her unsuitable behaviour.[4]

Pauline holds Ross hostage

Pauline holds Ross hostage, on the terms that he will be released once she is allowed back to her old job.[9]

Pauline is invited back to the restart course to study, but assumes she has been re-employed. This leads to a clash with Cathy Carter-Smith, who after a physical confrontation forces her to leave. Mickey shows his support of her throughout the argument.[5] Pauline finds herself in a rut following her dismissal, but is employed by Burger Me where she becomes Mickey's co-worker. When Ross walks in, she decides to get revenge by spitting in his burger. Unseen to her however, a CCTV camera is recording her.[8] Pauline is fired from Burger Me, and Ross tells her in the Job Centre that her benefits are to be suspended for nine weeks due to her being dismissed. He offers to put in an appeal, but only if she begs him. Pauline refuses and initially walks away, before promptly returning to attack Ross. As he retalliates, Pauline convinces Mickey to get him off and tie him to the chair. Pauline decides to hold Ross hostage, saying that she will only release him if she is reinstated in her role (with Mickey also requesting a fire engine as part of the deal).[9] Several days pass as the town is too occupied with the nosebleed epidemic, which she becomes aware of when Ross convinces her to collect them food. While out, however, Ross convinces Mickey to let him go before rendering him unconscious. Pauline returns in time to be greeted by Ross and the police, and she is then arrested.[10]

As part of Charlie Hull's recurring nightmare which he recounts to Reverend Bernice Woodall, Pauline is seen as part of the all-female Solutions group contacted by Stella Hull, which use voodoo-esque methods to ruin Charlie's linedancing performance. A Victorian ancestor of Pauline can also be seen in Matthew Chinnery's recounting of Edmund Chinnery's arrival in Royston Vasey, in which she manages a workhouse. She evicts a Victorian ancestor of Mickey for using his crutches on the treadmill, before a Victorian Ross comes and breaks things up.[11]

Pauline marries Mickey

In the final scenes of the series, Pauline weds Mickey.[15]

The third series begins with Pauline in prison, operating an undercover trade of exchanging pens for a vibrator (The Exocet, an oversized dildo seen frequently throughout the series). Ross somehow revokes the charges he had previously pressed against her, leading to her release, but only if she agreed to be part of an undercover job to befriend Mickey and find out how he and his family are gaining benefits. While visiting Mickey, he offers Pauline a place to stay. Despite her best attempts, Pauline fails to uncover any illegitimate claims made by Mickey other than the fact that his family still claiming his deceased mother's benefits. Ross deems this not enough for his whole family, and warns Pauline she'll be returned to prison if she doesn't find more. While at Barbara Dixon's fortieth birthday party, Mickey is deeply upset when he realises Pauline is working undercover to learn about his claims after she questions him. Remorseful, she kisses Mickey and goes on to sleep with him. Soon after, Pauline reports to Ross she'll no longer investigate Mickey as she loves him, and are now engaged. Ross warns her of the consequences but Pauline does not care, she’s going to wed Mickey. Ross tells her he’ll have to send her back to prison, but in a moment of intensity, Pauline lets him have sex with her in a fairly unsettling scene. Before she can leave, Ross tells her he will now have to tell Mickey what just happened, and goes to ring him. Pauline, horrified, rushes to Mickey's to explain what has happened first.[12] Here she becomes integral to the road accident arc: in the middle of the road, she is caught in the face by a red bag (having blown away from the Charity Shop[15]) which she removes it just in time to see Geoff Tipps speeding towards her[12][13][14] (in the stolen Legz Akimbo van.[14]) Pauline is saved by Lance Longthorne[13][14][15] (driven to do good as he is possessed by Sister Bernadette McClusky's spirit.[13]) She is comforted by Mickey who promptly arrives at the scene.[13][14][15] The scenes are captured on film by Dean Tavalouris.[15] In the final scenes of the series, Pauline and Mickey wed, and Ross even attends, seen briefly smiling and applauding the happy couple, implying the three finally put their differences behind them.[15]

The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse[]

Pauline plays a minor role in the movie which takes place in a separate narrative in which she appears as she did in the first two series. She is seen briefly in town with Mickey, and later goes to the church with Chinnery to discuss with Bernice the strange phenomena occurring in town, and is pointed to the prophecy. It is during this discussion that Bernice is distracted while Hilary Briss forces Geoff and Herr Lipp into the real world's dimension with him. Pauline appears again at the end of the film during the climax, witnessing the death of her actor's fictional counterpart, Steve Pemberton, and Hilary and Geoff defeating Dr. Pea and the Homunculus.[16]

On stage[]

It's Raining Pens

Pauline, in the guise of a pantomime dame, performs the song "It's Raining Men" - albeit remixed as "It's Raining Pens."[7]

Pauline first appears in The League of Gentlemen: Live at Drury Lane,[6] introducing herself to the audience as if they are her Job Centre restart course students. A gunshot then rings out, and as the curtains are abruptly closed, we learn from the voiceover a detective that Pauline has been shot dead. Three suspects are presented: Ross, Mickey and Cathy Carter-Smith.[6] The first piece of evidence involves a re-enactment of the job interview roleplay between Pauline and Ross, ending in her assaulting him.[3] Next, we learn of Mickey developing a romantic interest in Pauline, and upon viewing Cathy's initial confrontation with Pauline turning to sexual arousal, it is concluded that Mickey ultimately shot Pauline as a crime passionnel.[6]

Pauline appears in the latest stage show: The League of Gentlemen Are Behind You![7] The narrative of the second act of the play involves the Royston Vasey Players collaborating to put on a pantomime. Pauline takes part as a pantomime dame. Pauline comes on stage to the song "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls, which is performed by Pauline as "It's Raining Pens". Within the play, her pen shop Her Nibs is struggling to keep in business due to Cathy Carter-Smith, her unseen sister (however they can both be seen doing a sketch in the extras on the DVD) in the narrative, opening a computer store opposite. Pauline sends Mickey, presented as her son, on his journey to sell their cow and the Landlord Ross exchanges sex for the rent.[7] In the cut scene Pauline appears in Papa Lazarou's cave with Cathy Carter-Smith who exchanges insults about the fact both shops have flaws - while Pauline is in debt, Cathy's shop is filled with Porn addicts. When Pauline reveals that she didn't fit the moon boot which she wanted to as to save the shop and Cathy tells her that she didn't either and so they decide to combine forces and open a Computer/Stationery Shop.

Trivia[]

  • When they did the Egregious scene on stage, Steve cut Reece's lip with the paper.
  • Egregious was based on Reece going on an interview to shift trolleys around ASDA, he was refused the job as he was smart and his personality was too much for the others.
  • In Series One a deleted scene was done of Pauline clearing away sadly but when she goes up the stairs Mickey is waiting for her showing they were already planned to fall in love. (This was before the idea of Pauline being a lesbian and later bisexual was realised)
  • The fight between Pauline and Ross in Series Two is based on the one in The Omen by Gregory Peck and Billie Whitelaw.
  • On the 10th May, 2024, Steve Pemberton posted a poll to his Twitter page, on which votes were cast to crown the 'queen'. The vote was between Pauline, Hattie and Wilma Dickshow (Boo to a Goose, Inside No 9). In the end, Pauline won with a resounding 81%, with the other two getting 4.8% and 14.2% respectively.

Character reception[]

Pauline was described by Ed Howker and Shiv Malik in Jilted Generation: How Britain Has Bankrupted Its Youth as the most "aggressive" satire of the Labour policy, citing her outburst at Ross that he's worth "less than the shit on [her] shoe" and that she will send him on many "meaningless courses"[2] as "neatly [summing] up the circular bureaucracy around joblessness in modern Britain."[21]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Series 1, episode 1: "Welcome to Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 11 January 1999)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Series 1, episode 2: "The Road to Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 18 January 1999)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Series 1, episode 3: "Nightmare in Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 25 January 1999)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Series 1, episode 6: "Escape from Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 15 February 1999)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Series 2, episode 1: "Destination: Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 14 January 2000)
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 The League of Gentlemen: Live at Drury Lane (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (performed 2001)
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 The League of Gentlemen Are Behind You! (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (performed 2005)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Series 2, episode 2: "Lust for Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 21 January 2000)
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "Series 2, episode 3: A Plague on Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 4 February 2000)
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Series 2, episode 5: "Anarchy in Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 11 February 2000)
  11. 11.0 11.1 Christmas special: "Yule Never Leave!" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 27 December 2000)
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Series 3, episode 1: "The Lesbian and the Monkey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 26 September 2002)
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 Series 3, episode 2: "The One-Armed Man is King" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 3 October 2002)
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 Series 3, episode 3: "Turn Again Geoff Tipps" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 10 October 2002)
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 15.8 15.9 Series 3, episode 6: "How the Elephant Got Its Trunk" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 31 October 2002)
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (Universal Pictures) (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (released 3 June 2005)
  17. Series 3, episode 4: "The Medusa Touch" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 17 October 2002)
  18. Series 3, episode 5: "Beauty and the Beast (Or, Come into My Parlour)" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 24 October 2002)
  19. Untitled article (article reproduced from Irish Times, Brian Boyd, published 5 May 2001) (archived on virtualvasey.lofg.com, retrieved 26 July 2013)
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 "Welcome to Royston Vasey" audio commentary (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearmsith) (released 13 November 2000 on The League of Gentlemen - Series 1)
  21. Jilted Generation: How Britain Has Bankrupted Its Youth (Ed Howker, Shiv Malik, Icon Books, published 4 September 2010, p. unknown)

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