Think No Evil of Us: My Life With Kenneth Williams by David Benson

[Ignatius_S]

To coincide with its 25th anniversary of his one-man show about Kenneth Williams, David Benson has posted on YouTube, a recorded performance from 1998: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9PsEm3mDoE

It's a show that I saw live and thought it was absolutely incredible and quite different to what I was expecting. Off the back of it, Benson got work impersonating Williams' on a few BBC Radio and TV documentaries and to my mind (or rather, ears) he's the best person to do this.

Another show he did was about Noel Cowerd, which Benson being cast as Cowerd in a recurring role in Goodnight Sweetheart.

Benson also starred in the R4 play, Frankie Takes a Trip about Frankie Howerd trying to cure his depression through LSD - yes, one of his one-man shows also featured Howerd.

[Brundle-Fly]

He was touring a great Dad's Army show with a chum before the lockdown too.

[Autopsy Turvey]

I saw him do this at my university theatre, and despite initial reservations I really enjoyed it. Still have a flyer somewhere. Pissed all over Michael Sheen.

[Ignatius_S]

He was touring a great Dad's Army show with a chum before the lockdown too.

Good call - they did a couple of broadcasts during lockdown and think a few more dates are lined up later in the year. On Benson's YT account, there are readings of a Les Dawson book - only had a quick listen but sounded very good.

[Ignatius_S]

I saw him do this at my university theatre, and despite initial reservations I really enjoyed it. Still have a flyer somewhere. Pissed all over Michael Sheen.

Yeah, I felt his performance was better than Sheen's. Also, Robin Sebastian seems to have taken over as the Beeb's go-to Williams impersonator. He was in one of the Round The Horne tribute shows (which was also broadcast on BBC4) and from what I remember, he was pretty decent but overall, not a patch on Benson (as is the other stuff). Sebastian also takes the Williams role in The Missing Hancocks - don't know if you have listened to them, but I really didn't take to his version as the Snide character. However, over time I warmed to it more - in terms of sounding like Williams doing it, his wasn't near (IMO) but does fit the character.

[Autopsy Turvey]

Sebastian also takes the Williams role in The Missing Hancocks - don't know if you have listened to them, but I really didn't take to his version as the Snide character. However, over time I warmed to it more - in terms of sounding like Williams doing it, his wasn't near (IMO) but does fit the character.

Yeah I'd go along with this, though there is something slightly, what's the word, prissy? Mannered? I dunno what it is, there's warmth there, but no edge. KW is so vocally dynamic it's impossible to accurately replicate.

Benson & Chum's Dad's Army reading was a joy, I went in a bit 'oh yeah, two people do all of Dad's Army do they?' And came out all 'yes, they do!'

[FredNurke]

Sebastian is basically doing a late 60s-onwards Kenneth Williams doing Snide, where the self-parody's kicking in. Still better than the Sid James impression, though, which is far too jovial (and not South African enough).

[DrGreggles]

Not Dave Benson-Phillips

[Brundle-Fly]

Have I imagined this but didn't Hancock's Half Hour/ Carry On...actor, Alec Bregonzi once portray Kenneth Williams in a Hancock based play, circa early nineties? I'm sure I saw a poster as part of the wallpaper in a West End theatreland pub.

[Billy]

Back in 2009 there was Jiggery Pokery, a brilliant one-woman Charles Hawtrey show (yes) at the Battersea Arts Centre, played by Amanda Lawrence. Went through his promising child actor days to the bitter end, stumbling pissed around Deal in the 80s picking up young sailors and screaming at Carry On autograph hunters to fuck off.

[Neomod]

My god has it been that long. I remember seeing this with my g/f at the Adelphi.

Defo worth a re-watch.

[jamiefairlie]

Back in 2009 there was Jiggery Pokery, a brilliant one-woman Charles Hawtrey show (yes) at the Battersea Arts Centre, played by Amanda Lawrence. Went through his promising child actor days to the bitter end, stumbling pissed around Deal in the 80s picking up young sailors and screaming at Carry On autograph hunters to fuck off.

Ah but don't we all?

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Anyone can impersonate Kenneth Williams (Radiohead consider....NO! BAD LISA!), can't They? You just exclaim, " No, Matron, No!"in a Larry The Lamb voice. Mind you, if you just did that for an hour and a half as a one man show, I don't suppose people would be very entertained by it.

[Brundle-Fly]

Yes, it was a one-man show, not a spot on Who Do You Do?

[kalowski]

To coincide with its 25th anniversary of his one-man show about Kenneth Williams, David Benson has posted on YouTube, a recorded performance from 1998: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9PsEm3mDoE

It's a show that I saw live and thought it was absolutely incredible and quite different to what I was expecting. Off the back of it, Benson got work impersonating Williams' on a few BBC Radio and TV documentaries and to my mind (or rather, ears) he's the best person to do this.

Another show he did was about Noel Cowerd, which Benson being cast as Cowerd in a recurring role in Goodnight Sweetheart.

Benson also starred in the R4 play, Frankie Takes a Trip about Frankie Howerd trying to cure his depression through LSD - yes, one of his one-man shows also featured Howerd.

This is amazing. He gets the cadence perfectly. I've only watched the first five minutes but I need to find time to watch this properly.

[pupshaw]

This is amazing. He gets the cadence perfectly. I've only watched the first five minutes but I need to find time to watch this properly.

I think it's brilliant. He really gets over how much Williams was a born and bred Londoner, which because of his many well known characters and voices, you sometimes forget.

I watched the Diana show too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5QJYes80sY
interesting also because he reminds us how Diana went from being a national joke to The Peoples Princess