Play: Cult Figure: Kenneth Williams: Rotunda Theatre, Brighton, 2022
The actor and comic genius Kenneth Williams was one of the most original and adored figures in the history of British comedy. From appearing on radio in Hancock’s Half Hour and then Round The Horne supplying a rich variety of voices, to a star of the hugely successful Carry On films, a brilliant chat-show raconteur and writer of the best-selling Kenneth Williams Diaries, he was instantly recognisable and extremely popular.
As I sat in the outdoor theatre on a warm afternoon in May waiting for my first Brighton Fringe show of 2022 to start, the acclaimed actor and impressionist Colin Elmer suddenly marched onto the stage looking immaculately like Williams, capturing all his mannerisms brilliantly as well as the unmistakeable voice. Brilliantly telling his life story on stage, the two-hour show flew by and was both educational and extremely funny.