"Dinner for One": Der Original-Text zum Sketch auf Englisch (2024)

FAQs

Why do Germans watch Dinner for One? ›

After airing sporadically over the next several years, the film lucked into being a fixture of New Year's Eve TV programming in the early '70s, and “Dinner for One” has been considered a German cultural landmark ever since.

Dinner for One was originally written by British author Lauri Wylie for the theatre to be performed in British music halls. German television station Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) recorded a performance in Hamburg in 1963, in its original English language without subtitles, with a short introduction in German.

The evening ends after 18 minutes, after which James offers to escort Lady Sophie up to her chambers, because, you know, "same procedure as every year". How many times have most Germans watched this sketch during New Year?

A short British cabaret sketch from the 1920s has become a German New Year's tradition. Yet, although “The 90th Birthday or Dinner for One” is a famous cult classic in Germany and several other European countries, it is virtually unknown in the English-speaking world, including Britain, its birthplace.

It was shown four times between 1963 and 1972 before it finally got its now famous regular airing on New Years Eve in 1972. It is so popular in Germany that it is shown multiple times on New Years Eve so that everybody can watch it, when it best fits their schedule.

Catch phrase: "Same procedure as every year"

The line "Same procedure as every year" (in the original English) has become a very popular catchphrase in Germany. The phrase has entered everyday vocabulary, and is used in newspaper headlines and advertisem*nts.

Dinner for One (TV Short 1963) - Freddie Frinton as James - IMDb.

Some people in Britain and Australasia refer to their main evening meal as "tea" rather than "dinner" or "supper", but generally, with the exception of Scotland and Northern England, "tea" refers to a light meal or a snack.

The sketch presents the 90th birthday of elderly upper-class Englishwoman Miss Sophie, who hosts a dinner every year for her close friends Mr. Pommeroy, Mr. Winterbottom, Sir Toby and Admiral von Schneider to celebrate the occasion.

Some popular German TV shows about Christmas include "Der kleine Lord" (The Little Lord), "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel" (Three Wishes for Cinderella, the original out of a cooperation between Germany and the Czech Republic), and "Weihnachten bei Hoppenstedts" (Christmas with the Hoppenstedts) by Loriot, an older ...

What do Germans watch at New Year's? ›

In the build-up to the evening of 31 December, many Germans will watch the same things every year. The absolute must-see is a British comedy sketch called Dinner For One with Freddie Frinton and May Warden.

Joyeux Noël (English: Merry Christmas) is a 2005 war drama film based on the Christmas truce of December 1914, depicted through the eyes of French, British, and German soldiers.

Dinner for One, also known as The 90th Birthday, or by its corresponding German title, Der 90. Geburtstag, is a comedy sketch written by British author Lauri Wylie for the theatre in the 1920s.

You'll find that most Germans begin the meal with a hearty Guten Appetit! Similar to Bon Appetit, it is an elegant way to phrase "Let's eat!". More informally, especially at lunch, you can expect an exclamation of "Mahlzeit!".

Having a loud conversation, talking loud on the phone, or listening to loud music are considered very impolite as you will disturb other people. German people love to have their privacy. If you see a closed door, it doesn't mean that the person inside does not want you to come in.

When dining with Germans, be especially mindful of proper manners. They eat continentally—with the fork in the left hand (tines down) and knife in the right hand throughout. Do not pass the fork back and forth between hands. Don't set down your knife to use the fork alone.

However, you must remember that Germans rest only their hands and not their elbows on the table as it is considered quite an inappropriate gesture. It is considered rude to leave food on the plate; not just the Germans, but people from many countries do not like anyone leaving food on their plate.

You'll find that most Germans begin the meal with a hearty Guten Appetit! Similar to Bon Appetit, it is an elegant way to phrase "Let's eat!". More informally, especially at lunch, you can expect an exclamation of "Mahlzeit!".