Vivian Stanshall’s
Sir Henry at Rawlinson End
‘One of the richest comic texts in the English language … an exquisitely-honed evening of wit, filth and strangeness keeping the legacy of a great English artist alive … to witness it on stage is an absolute joy.’ Mojo
Great Aunt Florrie, brother Hubert, Scrotum the wrinkled old retainer, heroically drunk Sir Henry himself: the characters of Vivian Stanshall’s 1978 album are among the greatest creations of English comedy, as funny or funnier now than they were 35 years ago. Written while Stanshall (1943-95) was in Bristol on the Old Profanity Showboat, latterly the Thekla, and adapted from sketches that first appeared on John Peel’s radio show, ‘Sir Henry’ (which in 1980 became a film starring Trevor Howard), manages to combine Stanshall’s Joycean love of wordplay and absurdist world-view with an absolutely compelling cast of grotesques.
Now, with the blessing of the Stanshall family, the acclaimed actor Mike Livesley – who plays all the characters – presents the first theatrical performance of this classic text, with crack musical accompaniment by seven piece band, Brainwashing House.
“A tour de force and a work of Art.” Neil Innes
“Suddenly you realised that this special and private thing you’d treasured all these years was special and private to a whole lot of other people too.” Adrian Edmondson
sirhenrylives.com / @sirhenryshow
Running Time: 70 Mins / no interval
9.30pm Freestage Late Music Session: Brainwashing House
An amazing free-entry late-night music session: late bar, exclusive drinks promotions and a storming live music performance. And best of all admission is free.
Promoted by St George’s Bristol.
Images © Brian Roberts: brianrobertsimages.com