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Post by foxa on Apr 9, 2016 22:19:01 GMT
Show Report
Running Time: Just under one and a half hours, no interval.
Seating: This is a bit different - lots of unusual seats towards the front, a swinging basket chair, some sofas, wicker chairs - we had a very comfortable two seat sofa in the third row. If you are in the first row you are very close to the action and in the light. The seats further back are more conventional lengths of bench seats. But it's a small venue, I can't imagine there would be a problem seeing or hearing anything from any seat.
Programme: Free cast list with bios.
Dogs: No
Refreshments: Didn't have time to purchase anything but they seem to be promoting their Hendricks Gin and Tonic.
Oh, the play, what about the play, I hear you say: Well, it isn't exactly a play. Terry Johnson (who wrote this) stands at a lectern and half reads/quarter speaks/quarter acts anecdotes about the late Ken Campbell, an anarchic director (and writer/actor) who was a huge influence on Johnson and many other actors' work (Jim Broadbent, Sylvester McCoy.) Jeremy Stockwell, the second performer, impersonates Campbell and other characters very well. I think this is a labour of love and there are some particularly funny sections (Campbell was a prankster whose targets included the RSC), but I can't imagine what people who don't know Ken Campbell's work (or Terry Johnson's as he reflects a lot on Campbell's impact on him) will make of it. We were at an early preview and the tickets were only £5. At the moment, there are a lot of flubs (the performers, particularly Stockwell were quite funny about this.) It had that sort of enjoyable, sloppy, off-beat feeling of an Edinburgh show.
Tip: There is a challenging opportunity at the end of the show of which you might or might not want to take advantage.
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Post by mallardo on Apr 9, 2016 23:38:41 GMT
How much do you need to be aware of who Ken Campbell was to get this? I only know him as the guy who was very funny in one of the funniest Fawlty Towers episodes.
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Post by showgirl on Apr 10, 2016 4:11:23 GMT
I booked early for this (albeit a £10 ticket) and have never yet ditched one for Hampstead Downstairs but at present am not sure it sounds like my thing. I know Ken Campbell's name as when I was a teenager, he was, iirc, responsible for, amongst other things, some supposed extravaganza called Illuminatus at the Roundhouse (in the lamented days when it was a regular venue for theatre), but I think I was persuaded to go by my sci-fi loving boyfriend; I don't recall being that keen or impressed myself.
So, interesting to read the first comment but I'll need others to enable me to decide; think it may be more for OH than for me.
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Post by foxa on Apr 10, 2016 8:47:47 GMT
How much do you need to be aware of who Ken Campbell was to get this? I only know him as the guy who was very funny in one of the funniest Fawlty Towers episodes. I'm not sure - I did know a bit about him as I did a workshop with him many, many years ago and had heard actors talk about him as well, but I think it would be difficult if you didn't know anything at all about him or Terry Johnson. Campbell was famous for a 24 hour play called The Warp, a nine hour play Illuminatus! and an ill-fated stage version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (a description of this was one of the funnier sections of the evening.) To give you a flavour of his approach here was an exercise (as I recall it) from his workshop: Working with a partner turn in profile and have them give a character to that profile and then turn to the other side and give a character to your other profile (this is based on what you look like in profile as most people are not entirely symmetrical.) He demonstrated that in one profile he looked like 'An Angry Farmer' and the other profile he appeared to be 'Enid the Ineffectual Housewife.' You then had to create a scene in which you turned from profile to profile in character, so in his case, the angry farmer would chastise Enid for her poor housekeeping and then he would turn his other profile and Enid would flutter a response. Johnson focused a lot on Campbell's use of nudity and sex in his plays, as well as his Lord of Misrule sensibilities. There were some knowing laughs in the audience which made me think that quite a few people were familiar with Campbell, but I'd be interested to hear what someone who knew nothing about him thought of this show. |
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Post by Honoured Guest on Apr 10, 2016 9:00:58 GMT
How much do you need to be aware of who Ken Campbell was to get this? I only know him as the guy who was very funny in one of the funniest Fawlty Towers episodes. Why would anyone who's had no interest in the incredible and astounding Ken Campbell over the last five decades suddenly now want to see a play about him? Michael Coveney's book would be a start. |
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Post by chameleon on Apr 10, 2016 14:04:46 GMT
How much do you need to be aware of who Ken Campbell was to get this? I only know him as the guy who was very funny in one of the funniest Fawlty Towers episodes. I'm not sure - I did know a bit about him as I did a workshop with him many, many years ago and had heard actors talk about him as well, but I think it would be difficult if you didn't know anything at all about him or Terry Johnson. Campbell was famous for a 24 hour play called The Warp, a nine hour play Illuminatus! and an ill-fated stage version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (a description of this was one of the funnier sections of the evening.) To give you a flavour of his approach here was an exercise (as I recall it) from his workshop: Working with a partner turn in profile and have them give a character to that profile and then turn to the other side and give a character to your other profile (this is based on what you look like in profile as most people are not entirely symmetrical.) He demonstrated that in one profile he looked like 'An Angry Farmer' and the other profile he appeared to be 'Enid the Ineffectual Housewife.' You then had to create a scene in which you turned from profile to profile in character, so in his case, the angry farmer would chastise Enid for her poor housekeeping and then he would turn his other profile and Enid would flutter a response. Johnson focused a lot on Campbell's use of nudity and sex in his plays, as well as his Lord of Misrule sensibilities. There were some knowing laughs in the audience which made me think that quite a few people were familiar with Campbell, but I'd be interested to hear what someone who knew nothing about him thought of this show. So sort of like this then? |
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Post by Honoured Guest on Apr 10, 2016 15:16:47 GMT
After the success of RSC Nicholas Nickleby, Ken Campbell sent spoof letters supposedly from RSC artistic director Trevor Nunn (ending "Love, Trev") to many theatre luminaries explaining his decision to turn the RSC into the Royal Dickens Company and inviting them to join the forthcoming next mega-show, an adaptation of Little Dorrit. Several expreseed an interest.
While the NT presented the Hare trilogy (Racing Demon, Murmuring Judges, The Absence of War) in the Olivier, Ken Campbell presented his three one-man shows in the Cottesloe, calling it the Bald Trilogy.
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Post by perfectspy on Apr 10, 2016 23:42:00 GMT
I saw this production on Friday night and liked it. A great chance for me to see Terry Johnson, whose plays I saw when staged at the Royal Court. I got to sit at the front on a nice armchair, watching the very funny Jeremy Stockwell.
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Post by showgirl on Apr 11, 2016 4:16:01 GMT
Thank you, foxa and perfectspy for the informative and encouraging posts - think it's worth a risk. Others may differ but I am far keener to see something well written and performed, even if I know nothing of the subject or it doesn't otherwise interest me, than to see something not so good about a familiar subject. For instance, I'm not really into documentary films but I've seen some great ones over the last few years, e.g. Senna, which I'd have missed had I decided on the basis of lack of interest in motor racing. The same applies to theatre: it's an opportunity to be surprised, ideally entertained too, and to learn something.
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Post by foxa on Apr 11, 2016 15:34:36 GMT
I think the Hampstead Downstairs is such a bargain. Just today I booked for the next two shows (one of which is directed by Simon Evans and since I loved 'Bug' that definitely seems worth a punt.) 'Ken,' as I said, isn't really a play and it was uneven and flubby when I saw it, but I found it interesting and it made me go and look up a lot more about Campbell afterwards. For example, I didn't know that he was involved in the development of Showstopper the Musical and that he had been performing with them just a week before he passed away.
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Post by showgirl on Apr 11, 2016 18:44:13 GMT
I agree re Hampstead Downstairs and find the standard and appeal of plays there more consistent than in the main house - and yet no lack of star writers/actors for those who like names. I do wonder why they insist on Downstairs productions not being reviewed (thank goodness it doesn't stop bloggers), as imho they are just as good as those you find in similar second spaces such as Upstairs at the Royal Court, etc.
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Post by perfectspy on Apr 11, 2016 21:08:38 GMT
In my opinion I think the plays downstairs are better than those in the main stage at the Hampstead.
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Post by patterdalepip on Apr 15, 2016 7:38:02 GMT
I saw this on Tuesday and really enjoyed it. Jeremy Stockwell was hilarious and Terry Johnson set the scene nicely. I managed to bag a very comfortable sofa and had Jeremy perched on the arm for some of the show. 80 minutes flew past. I love Hampstead Downstairs, they always manage to put on some really different things
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Post by showgirl on Apr 16, 2016 21:47:57 GMT
This was very entertaining on the whole and I laughed a lot, though I imagine a little of Ken Campbell in person would go a long way and the lack of interval (it's too short to justify one but very slightly too long to avoid discomfort and inattention) meant I was getting a little restless towards the end. As foxa says, it's not exactly a play though I can't think of an alternative or more accurate term. The audience seemed to love it and I certainly preferred it to any of Ken Campbell's own work as described in the performance.
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Post by theatrescribe on Jan 25, 2018 21:27:41 GMT
by Terry Johnson - anyone been? Does it still have the 'interesting' audience participation at the end that it had at Hampstead?
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Jan 28, 2018 12:50:04 GMT
Enjoyed this - probably helps I knew a bit about Ken Campbell. Also helps if you know who Terry Johnson is as there's no real indication that he is quite a big name doing this as (presumably) a bit of a labour of love. No audience interaction at the end so presumably this has been reworked a bit. There's a fair bit of chatting to the audience, and in the middle there's a Ken Campbell Roadshow bit with a brick and some knicker elastic - is that what was at the end during the Hampstead run? The Bunker looks great for this. They have also got a new bar - it's at the entrance to the theatre, part of which has been partitioned off with a roof making a sort of shed, replacing the pokey room at the side of the theatre. |
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Post by showgirl on Jan 28, 2018 14:47:31 GMT
I'm shocked that it's barely 2 years since I saw this at Hampstead Downstairs yet I'd totally forgotten it, and even now I've recalled seeing it, that's literally all I've dredged up. So presumably at least it wasn't memorably brilliant or dire. I think I do vaguely recall that it was quite something for Terry Johnson to be appearing again rather than writing/directing as usual. I suppose the good thing is that if others recommended this version, I could see it again!
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Post by NeilVHughes on Jan 28, 2018 15:07:35 GMT
xandrel were you invited to ‘disrobe’? (hint)
Really enjoyed this at Hampstead, not sure how Ken would be perceived in the current climate given some of the anecdotes.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Jan 28, 2018 15:21:38 GMT
Nope! The show ended with Terry Johnson talking about the funeral, and how Ken had influenced his career and others such as Nina Conti, then it ended, with "Ken" saying "Hmm, needs a stronger ending" and wandering off |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 28, 2018 15:53:00 GMT
Merged
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Post by Snciole on Jan 30, 2018 12:01:15 GMT
I wrote a review here viewfromthecheapseat.com/2018/01/30/ken-the-bunker-theatre/ but the main issue was that I think Johnson should have written this as an entertaining book and adapted it with performers who aren't him. It isn't that the lecture setting doesn't work, it is just that Johnson doesn't have the charm to pull it off. I also struggled with the fact that quite early on it is apparent they weren't that close, just happened to be colleagues on the odd occasion. It doesn't mean Johnson doesn't have a story but I feel like there are already works by closer collaborators that explore the personality and work of Ken Campbell better. |
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Post by theatrescribe on Jan 30, 2018 22:11:30 GMT
- is that what was at the end during the Hampstead run? No, the Hampstead production ended with real life naked body painting involving the entire audience! There was a famous actress in the audience there the night I went, certainly a memory I'll take with me to the grave! |
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