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THINK NO EVIL OF US : MY LIFE WITH KENNETH WILLIAMS
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Think No Evil of Us: My Life with Kenneth Williams
Written and Performed by David Benson
Wednesday 8 September, 7.30pm
Torch Theatre. Milford Haven
Tickets: £10.00 (£9.00)
Presented in association with James Seabright
This classic one-man show unlocks the character of one of Britain's best-loved and most-missed entertainers. In a thrilling roller-coaster ride we see Kenneth Williams at his funniest - and at his most badly behaved.
Think No Evil of Us is back on tour by popular demand following David's recent acclaimed BBC Radio 4 series, The Private World of Kenneth Williams. This brilliantly performed semi-autobiographical show also reveals how David's unusual childhood led to an extraordinary connection
with the Carry-On star.
Unforgettable & inspirational theatre Independent on Sunday
David Benson's wonderful one-man show “Think No Evil of Us: My Life with Kenneth Williams” played to great critical and public acclaim in London’s West End, after being a huge hit for two years running at the Edinburgh Festival. It plays for one night only at the Torch Theatre in Milford Haven Pembrokeshire as part of a national tour. It originally came to the Torch over 5 years ago, and if you missed it then, we can't recommend it too highly. Benson has come up with a rare show that is as endearing as it is funny. It is also in its own way remarkably original.
The piece begins with the best imitation of Kenneth Williams you are ever likely to see. Benson perfectly captures the prissy pursed mouth, the look of outrage, the quavering crescendoes of nasal indignation. The jokes and smutty double entendres are a joy, and a poignant reminder of just what a fine, distinctive talent we lost when Williams took an overdose of pills in 1988.
But the show is much more than impersonation. It is an act of homage and also a strikingly personal confession. When he was 13, Benson wrote a story for Jackanory, and it was Kenneth Williams who read it out on TV. These facts lead into a blissfully funny description of Benson's schooldays, including assembly under his hilarious Brummie headmaster, and a moving account of Benson's mother's mental illness, which eventually led to her committal.
None of which has much to do with Kenneth Williams, whom it gradually becomes clear Benson never actually met. But Benson's gifts as a mimic are so fine (he casually throws in Frankie Howerd, Maggie Smith and the whole cast of Dad's Army), and his personality so engaging that you remain enthralled throughout.
The final section, in which he reverts to impersonating the comedian, is outstanding. We watch Williams entertaining his friends in a restaurant, and becoming increasingly desperate, especially when discussing his chronic bowel disorder in demented, disgusting detail over the spag bol.
Here you begin to sense Williams's scorching self-hatred, the appalling lovelessness of his life, and this often hilarious piece suddenly achieves a tugging sense of regret and loss. Benson offers a tour de force of impersonation, but his quirky show is also blessed with singular compassion
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Wednesday, September 1, 2004 |
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