Let them eat cake created and written by Peter Learmouth, is a hilarious six part comedy starring Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French.

Based in 1782 France, The Comtesse Columbine De Vache (Jennifer saunders) is a close friend of Marie Antoinette and has a set of rooms in the Palace of Versailles, which she occupys with her two servants the saucy streetwise maid Lisette played by Dawn French and, a man servant Bouffant played by Adrian Scarborough who is charge of her extreme hairdos and clothing.

Having been brought up as an Aristocrat, Columbine has a very narrow view on the world and is able to do very little for herself and, in one hilarious episode is trapped in bed for three days when Lisette disappears as she had no one to help her out of bed and to open the doors!

Columbine's position in the Palace which is full of intrigues and scandals, gives her lots of enemies, but her main arch enemy and rival is Madame De Plonge played by guest star Alison Steadman who continually tries to usurp Columbine's favored position with hilarious results.

As is usual with French and Saunders there is a steady stream of laughs and one liners especially from Lisette.

Jennifer Saunders as Columbine is believable as the arrogant French Aristocrat who can't see anything beyond her own immediate concerns . But for me it is Dawn French as Lisette who really steals the show. As the cheeky ladys' maid, Lisette together with Bouffant, frequently come up with the plans and schemes to get her mistress out of trouble.

Alison Steadman as Madame de Plonge is also really believable as the evil rival who will stop at nothing to oust Columbine.

The support actors come across well. Bouffant is not as funny as Lisette but does have his moments and Eveline played by Lucy Punch, Madame de Plonges daughter, does a good job playing the innocent young adult being brought up to learn the ways of the court and usually getting it wrong.

I watched this on a rental dvd which had the complete series but had included no special features, just the episode listing.

I think if you are a French and Saunders fan then this is definately for you. If you are not a French and Saunders fan then I think you could probably watch this and still be entertained but it may not be something to buy.

Cast List
Jennifer Saunders - Comtesse De vache
Dawn French - Lisette
Adrian Scarborough - Monsier Bouffant
Alison Steadman - Madame de Plonge
Lucy Punch - Eveline

Special Guest Stars
Richard E Grant
Kathy Burke

Episode List

1.THE POX
Madame de Plonge and her daughter Eveline, pay a visit to Columbine to pass on some gossip about the Marquis de Bonvie. Madame de Plonge advises Columbine that she needs someone to attract his attention away from her but of course if they fail they will be the laughing stoke of the palace. What Columbine doesn't know is that de Plonge is in league with the Marquis to destroy Columbine's reputation. Columbine unknowingly accepts the challenge but when her aged husband turns up suffering from the pox and Eveline meets the Marquis instead, de Plonges scheme are thwarted with hilarious results.

2.MURDER
When a rumour that Columbine has lost her fortune to the Marquise de Foufou reaches her ears, Columbine is forced to go and confront The Marquise and see the alleged incriminating document. However when Columbine finds the Marquise murdered in her rooms, Columbine becomes the prime suspect and is thrown in jail much to Madame de Plonge's joy. While Lisette attends to Columbine in her cell, it is then left up to Bouffant to find proof of her innocence.

3.THE POTRAIT
Columbine commissions a portrait of her self with a famous artist but has problems when she is ravished by a mysterious stranger played by Richard E Grant, every night. The rumour is that the Marquis de Sade is on the loose and the whole of the palace is in a panic. Columbine orders Lisette to swap rooms but Lisette refuses and ends up being back on the streets. However the Comtesse is then put in a position where she has to find Lisette and bargain with her to return to the Palace.

4.MAKING VOOPEE
Columbine regulary spies on the coming and goings at court to feed back to the Queen and to her delight is able to report on a scandlous episode involving her arch rival Madame de Plonge. Madame de Plonge is enraged by this and decides to get her revenge by leaking information to the Queen that Columbine is pregnant and the King is the father.

5.A MARRIAGE OF CONVENICE
Kathy Burke is the special guest star in this episode playing Cecile ,Columbine's impoverished sister, asking for financial aid for her husband. Columbine refuses, but when she finds out that the Duc Donal is looking for wife inorder to save his reputation and will pay the person who finds this wife a great fortune, she has to track her sister down in the slums with Lisette's help to try and covince her to marry the Duc. However problems arise when cecile refuses to co-operate.

6.THE ROYAL COMMAND PERFORMANCE
Madame de Plonge is most put out when she is not invited to a particular Royal Performance to which those in the court with a title have been invited. In order to get this invite she uses her wiles to get the invitation and has a secret tryst with the king to get herself a title. This enrages Columbine who then seeks to make sure the Queen knows the truth.