Luvvie Darling
Encyclopedia
Luvvie Darling is a fictional character
in the British
comic Viz
(1979- ). Darling is depicted as an exaggerated parody on old-school British Shakespearian
stage actors: pompous, bombastic, profligate and pretentious in his use of literary quotes, and habitually referring to famous, real-life actors in familiar terms (such as "Dear old Larry" for Sir Lawrence Olivier).
Darling's name is a pun
on the insincere and over-affectionate terms, "luvvie" and "darling" that actors and actresses are stereotype
d as employing with each other.
-style period costume with embroidered tunic, frilled collar and cuffs, high boots and short ornamental cape. He has an Errol Flynn
moustache and pointed goatee beard to offset his receding hairline. His appearance is based on stereotypical images of Shakespeare. Darling passionately believes in promoting the cultural value of theatre, is ecstatic at any chance to show off his self-proclaimed acting talent, (once even in a prison, where he comes to grief) and auditions constantly for roles which are often completely unsuited to him. In one strip a director casting for Romeo and Juliet
was hard-put to convince Luvvie that the role of Romeo required a man half his age.
films, yet he often has trouble remembering his lines and so has the need for a prompt
from a lowly stage hand.
In another episode he is interviewed by 'Michael Perkinson', (a blatant reference to another very famous interviewer) and with every question he reveals more and more how much of a failure he is.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comic Viz
Viz (comic)
Viz is a popular British comic magazine which has been running since 1979.The comic's style parodies British comics of the post-war period, notably The Beano and The Dandy, but with incongruous language, crude toilet humour, black comedy, surreal humour and either sexual or violent storylines...
(1979- ). Darling is depicted as an exaggerated parody on old-school British Shakespearian
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
stage actors: pompous, bombastic, profligate and pretentious in his use of literary quotes, and habitually referring to famous, real-life actors in familiar terms (such as "Dear old Larry" for Sir Lawrence Olivier).
Darling's name is a pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
on the insincere and over-affectionate terms, "luvvie" and "darling" that actors and actresses are stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
d as employing with each other.
Resting
Each Viz episode begins with Luvvie "resting between jobs" - a showbiz term for being out of work. His manager Louie is as useless as himself, drives (very badly) in a huge car, smokes a huge cigar, and drinks from a bottle marked 'Eau de Tap'. Darling is in his forties, dresses in a HamletHamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
-style period costume with embroidered tunic, frilled collar and cuffs, high boots and short ornamental cape. He has an Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
moustache and pointed goatee beard to offset his receding hairline. His appearance is based on stereotypical images of Shakespeare. Darling passionately believes in promoting the cultural value of theatre, is ecstatic at any chance to show off his self-proclaimed acting talent, (once even in a prison, where he comes to grief) and auditions constantly for roles which are often completely unsuited to him. In one strip a director casting for Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
was hard-put to convince Luvvie that the role of Romeo required a man half his age.
General Character
Darling's ludicrous ham acting style and overbearing personality result in him gaining only bit (walk-on) parts at best; at worst, his only theatre employment is cleaning the theatre's toilets. In several episodes, Darling ends up having to perform in pornographicPornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
films, yet he often has trouble remembering his lines and so has the need for a prompt
Prompt
Prompt may refer to:* Command prompt, in computing, one or more characters in a command line interface to indicate that the computer is ready to accept typed input...
from a lowly stage hand.
In another episode he is interviewed by 'Michael Perkinson', (a blatant reference to another very famous interviewer) and with every question he reveals more and more how much of a failure he is.