David Benson

David Benson
Member of	Justice for Megrahi

David Benson (born David Hodgson on 11 January 1962) is an English character actor, writer and comedian, most famous for his one-man show titled Think No Evil of Us: My Life with Kenneth Williams about the life and career of the late comedian, for which he won the Scotsman's Fringe First award in 1996, and for his television role as Noël Coward in the BBC comedy series Goodnight Sweetheart. His theatrical repertoire includes a wide range of Coward's best known songs, performed in-character as Coward. When not touring in the theatre he can be found on BBC radio, playing all the character parts in the science fiction comedy series The Scarifyers.

David Benson was born in Oxford, England, and has a twin sister Miranda and an older brother Jonathan. He changed his surname in 1996 on joining Equity, the actors' trade union. He was educated at Park Hall Secondary Modern in Castle Bromwich, Warwickshire, and at Sutton Coldfield College of Further Education. He went on to gain a Degree in Drama and Theatre Studies at the Royal Holloway College, University of London. He lived in Edinburgh from 1985, and in New York from 1993 on-and-off for four years. In 2001 he moved permanently to London, where he now resides.

Presently represented by Seabright Productions, David Benson appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe during August 2010 in two new shows, previewed in Eastbourne, Highgate, London and Oxford during July. For Lockerbie: Unfinished Business he won the Scotsman's Fringe First Award 2010, and received notices in the New York Times and Hollywood trade press.

He has a dozen one-man shows in his current theatrical repertoire, with which he tours, and writes and directs professional stage productions for other performers. He also sings: performing a wide range of the songs of Noël Coward, amongst others, in a flamboyant cabaret style, performed in-character as Coward.

His theatrical, television and radio work has mainly revolved around comedy; and his most famous roles, impersonating comic actor Kenneth Williams, comedian Frankie Howerd, and playwright and composer Noël Coward, have featured his uncanny mimicry of well-known stars who share a common camp theme.

David Benson appeared in the National Theatre production of One Man, Two Guvnors, a comedy starring James Corden, adapted from Goldoni's Servant of Two Masters, which was presented at the Lyttelton Theatre on London's South Bank from 17 May to 26 July 2011, and which garnered glowing reviews. He also toured throughout September and October 2011 with the production.

Stage

As a young man, Benson held various jobs: including as a "skivvy" in a restaurant kitchen, and as an assistant in Scotland's first gay and lesbian bookshop. Between 1990 and 1996 he worked in the Edinburgh-based Grassmarket Project Theatre Company, performing in a series of award winning semi-documentary dramas, often improvised, ranging from homeless men (Glad, 1990–92) to pensioners (One Moment, 1993), and a young lady whose brother was killed in police custody (20/52, 1995). These productions gave him his first taste of theatrical success, when One Moment, an improvised drama devised by Jeremy Weller, won a Fringe First award at the Edinburgh Festival in 1993.

It was at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1996 that he premiered his first one-man show, Think No Evil of Us: My Life With Kenneth Williams, a semi-autobiographical production based around the life and career of comedy actor Kenneth Williams, performed mainly in character as Williams; and which, as with his subsequent Edinburgh shows (with the exception of Star Struck), was entirely written by himself. The show was an instant hit with audiences, and won a Scotsman Fringe First award. It then went on national tour, culminating in a short West End run during 1998. It was revived in 2001 and still tours today: Benson claims he will continue touring the show "'till I drop".

In 1998 he premiered his second one-man show, at the Assembly Rooms, during the Edinburgh Fringe. Titled Nothing But Pleasure, it was timed to coincide with the first anniversary of the death of Diana Princess of Wales, and consisted mainly of a detailed description of the events at her funeral. Nothing But Pleasure was subsequently invited to the Sydney Festival, where Benson and pianist/arranger David Paul Jones performed it in The Playhouse at the Sydney Opera House in January 1999. The show then ran at the Jermyn Street Theatre London during 2000, under the new title Mourning Glory.

After a period of theatrical inactivity David Benson returned to the Fringe and to touring in 2001, writing and performing a sequel to Think No Evil Of Us - My Life With Kenneth Williams, and in the process breaking a vow he had made in 1998 never to play another dead, camp comic ("As if I intended to spend the rest of my life impersonating dead, camp comedians!"), turning his attention to the late Frankie Howerd. To Be Frank played The Pleasance, Edinburgh at the 2001 Festival. As well as being an examination of the life and career of Howerd, the show, like all of Benson's work, has a strong autobiographical element: he gives an uncompromising account of his "period of theatrical inactivity" in a sequence which culminates in the uproarious "slaughter" of a collection of "irritating television personalities". This production is one which he still tours today, subtitled Frankie Howerd and the Secret of Happiness (an ironic comment on the fact that Frankie never seemed to find that secret).

In January 2002 Benson appeared, for the first time, in a play. He stepped into the breach to take a role in the Peepolykus production of Eugène Ionesco's absurdist classic Rhinoceros, which toured the UK for the first half of the year, before returning for a sell-out season at the Lyric Hammersmith and a sell-out date at the Battersea Arts Centre. It was during the long drives to and from these shows that Benson and Peepolykus founder David Sant first discussed the possibility of working on a new show together. The result, in 2003, was Star Struck, his fourth one-man show, in which he appeared in character as, amongst others, Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, Noël Coward, and even Judy Garland - a show which he premiered at that year's Edinburgh Fringe. During 2003 he also appeared in a production of Joe Orton's Loot directed by Cal McCrystal, at the Derby Playhouse, in which he took the role which Kenneth Williams had played in the original 1966 West End production.

Benson has also directed for the stage. In 2003 he directed (and co-created) All The Rage, the first solo stage show by the media personality Janet Street-Porter, which premiered at that year's Fringe. In pantomime, he starred in Jack and The Beanstalk at the Newbury Corn Exchange, once again directed by Cal McCrystal, for Christmas 2004. He subsequently wrote two pantomimes, Cinderella and Dick Whittington, both of which were directed by McCrystal at Newbury.

Between 2005 and 2007 he developed three further one-man shows, all of which were written by himself, premiering each in turn at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. These were, respectively, David Benson's Haunted Stage ; It's A Plot: David Benson's Conspiracy Cabaret ; and Why Pay More. He continued touring in his earlier shows, as well as making Christmas appearances in pantomime. In 2006 his appearance at the Fringe also included the 10th anniversary production of Think No Evil Of Us: My Life with Kenneth Williams. Additionally in 2006, during a busy year he appeared in a play at the Theatre Royal Winchester directed by James Barry, starring in the comedy Same Time, Next Year, in which he took the Alan Alda role from the film.

In August 2008 he again premiered a one-man show at the Fringe, turning his attention to Noël Coward once more, with David Benson Sings Noel Coward. This show originated as a cameo impression of Coward in Benson's original 1996 stage production of Think No Evil Of Us: My Life with Kenneth Williams, a cameo which led to his being offered a continuing role as Noël Coward in the BBC television series Goodnight Sweetheart. This in turn led to his performing a number of Coward's monologues and songs on stage, as part of the "Hollywood Party" sequence in his one-man show Star Struck, which he premiered at the Fringe in 2003, built around the Coward monologue Mad Dogs and Englishmen.

Benson continues to direct. At the 2008 Fringe he directed - as well as wrote - the First World War drama My Grandfather's Great War, starring Cameron Stewart, based upon the experiences of Stewart's grandfather in the 1914-18 War as recorded in his war diaries. After premiering at the Fringe, the production toured in spring 2009 and enjoyed a London run in November 2010.

In his on-line blog Benson talks about his role in the London production of the revival of the black comedy Future Me by Stephen Brown, originally produced in 2007, in which he toured during February and March 2009 and then played London's Only Connect until 26 April. As ever, in 2009 he appeared throughout August at the Edinburgh Fringe, in a new one-man show written by himself, premiering Dr Whom? My Search for Samuel Johnson, giving the definitive account of the life of Dr Johnson, the man who, in the 18th Century, wrote the world's first ever dictionary of the English language.

During 2009 he also appeared in a play with author Clayton Littlewood and singer Alexis Gerred, playing a number of character roles in an adaptation of Littlewood's best-selling book Dirty White Boy (a book which became a favourite of Elton John), about the crazy Soho characters, all played by Benson, who the author came to know during his time running a clothes shop in London's Old Compton Street. Having done sell-out performances in July 2009, Benson returned in a longer version of the play for a month's run in 2010, appearing at London's Trafalgar Studios until 26 May.

He continues to sing. August 2010 found him once again at the Edinburgh Festival, premiering two new productions for the Fringe at the Gilded Balloon. The first of these, The Singalong Glee Club, continues his musical career where his Noël Coward song spiel leaves off, with a musical evening featuring well-known songs from his 20^th century songbook, but on this occasion not exclusively by Coward. His repertoire includes "Cohen Owes Me Ninety-Seven Dollars" (Irving Berlin, 1915), "All the Things You Are" (Kern/Hammerstein, 1939), and "Collegiate" (Jaffe/Bonx, 1925). His pianist was once again Stewart Nicholls.

He also talks about his theatrical experiences, and the blog reveals details of his showdates. He now has a dozen one-man shows in his theatrical repertoire, with which he continues to tour, including Think No Evil Of Us: My Life With Kenneth Williams; Nothing But Pleasure (a.k.a. Mourning Glory); To Be Frank: Frankie Howerd and the Secret of Happiness; Star Struck: A Fantasy Celebrity Party; David Benson's Haunted Stage;  It's A Plot: David Benson's Conspiracy Cabaret ;  Why Pay More ;  David Benson's Christmas Party ;  Doctor Whom: My Search for Samuel Johnson; David Benson sings Noel Coward; and the two productions which he premiered at Edinburgh in 2010, The Singalong Glee Club and Lockerbie: Unfinished Business.

For Easter 2011 he did a London season at The Warehouse, Croydon from 6 to 17 April, presenting "Lockerbie: Unfinished Business" and his two most enduring shows: Think No Evil of Us - My Life With Kenneth Williams and To Be Frank - Frankie Howerd And The Secret of Happiness.

Thereafter he was engaged for a major new National Theatre production of Richard Bean's comedy One Man, Two Guvnors, an adaptation of Goldoni's Servant of Two Masters, directed by Nicholas Hytner with Cal McCrystal. Benson had previously worked with McCrystal in Loot (Derby Playhouse, 2003) and Jack and The Beanstalk (Newbury Corn Exchange, Christmas 2004), both productions which McCrystal directed; and, in addition, Benson wrote two pantomimes (Cinderella and Dick Whittington) which were directed by McCrystal at Newbury. The 2011 National Theatre production, starring popular television actor James Corden, was presented at the Lyttelton Theatre on London's South Bank for a ten-week season from 17 May to 26 July, and toured the UK throughout October, including playing a week in Cardiff and a week in Edinburgh. Benson plays the waiter, Gareth, whilst also understudying two of the main parts, including Charlie.

Lockerbie: Unfinished Business

David Benson portrays Dr Jim Swire's continuing search for truth and justice

"Lockerbie: Unfinished Business" is an award-winning solo play written and performed by David Benson who portrays Dr Jim Swire in his continuing search for truth and justice about the murder of his daughter Flora and 269 other people in the worst terrorist atrocity on UK soil. Pan Am Flight 103 was blown out of the sky on 21st December 1988, falling to earth on the small Scottish border town of Lockerbie and surrounding areas.

David Benson has performed the hour-long play at venues throughout the UK, afterwards fielding questions from the audience about the Lockerbie bombing. The only recording of "Lockerbie: Unfinished Business" took place at the Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh during the 2010 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

This production garnered Benson international notices, including the New York Times and as far afield as Hollywood, winning him a Scotsman Fringe First award, and for which he was nominated for an Amnesty International Freedom of Expression award. He talked in his on-line blog about the national and international media coverage which the production received.

Telegraph review

Last time we saw David Benson at the Edinburgh Festival he was performing songs by Noel Coward in the clipped and high-class manner of the Master. His best-loved solo show to date, "Think No Evil of Us", capitalised on his uncanny ability to impersonate Kenneth Williams. So it’s quite a huge leap, then, for the actor to go all serious for a change and under-take the role of Jim Swire, the real-life doctor who has tirelessly campaigned to find out the truth behind the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which claimed his 24-year-old daughter Flora among its 270 victims. It’s a leap Benson makes with absolute assurance in a performance that must rank as one of the most quietly compelling and finely judged on the Fringe.

As the first anniversary of the roundly-condemned decision to release Abdelbaset al-Megrahi nears, "Lockerbie: Unfinished Business", drawn from Swire’s own manuscripts, doesn’t hijack the occasion to make glib, headline-grabbing points. Swire’s position about the “Lockerbie bomber” is made abundantly clear towards the end:

“The scandal is not that he was released but that he was ever imprisoned in the first place.”

The over-riding achievement of this concise, calmly delivered 60-minute address, though, is that it resists cut-and-dried conclusions and knee-jerk responses. It eloquently insists that the more carefully you look at the case, the more questions lie unanswered.

Part of its persuasive power lies in Benson’s own understatement. Tales of official obfuscation and obstruction are relayed with a wintry humour. There’s even matter for bleak mirth in a description of an encounter with Muammar Gaddafi conducted in a lavishly arrayed Libyan bunker lined with gun-toting female bodyguards.

Grief and anger are kept bundled under the cloak of British reticence. At times, we see the pain breaking through, as when, blinking back tears, he pictures the terrifying seconds on-board following the detonation. Such moments, almost unbearable to watch, bring home the fact that far from disqualifying Swire from his relentless quest for justice, his undying sense of loss underpins his mission with a humanity that has been woefully absent in far too many quarters for far too long.

Radio

David Benson has been interviewed on many BBC and ILR radio shows, including Mavis Nicholson (in December 1996), Michael Parkinson’s Sunday Supplement, Ned Sherrin's Loose Ends (in February 2003 and again in December 2007), Kaleidoscope, and Midweek.

In December 2002 he appeared in Ruth Draper and Her Company of Characters on BBC Radio 4, which was an appreciation of the life and career of an actress whom he cites as one of the most important influences on his stage work.

Benson has an unusual facility with accents and as a mimic and impressionist. In November 2003 he performed The Private World of Kenneth Williams, a three-part series for BBC Radio 4, in which he also read extracts from The Kenneth Williams Diaries in character as Kenneth Williams. Subsequently he appeared, also in character as Williams, in Horne of Plenty, a 3 hour special for BBC radio, broadcast on BBC Radio 7 in December 2005 (and repeated in 2008 and February 2011), celebrating the radio shows of Kenneth Horne, in all of which Kenneth Williams had appeared. Then in February 2006 Benson narrated the documentary Carry On Filming for BBC Radio 4, a retrospective of the Carry On films, in which Kenneth Williams had appeared more often than any other member of the team.

All of his radio work connected with Kenneth Williams was commissioned by BBC producer Jonathan James Moore, who died in November 2005, aged 59, without whose support this type of work has dried up for him.

More recently, David Benson's facility with accents and as a voice artist has led him into character parts in radio drama. In the first of these, in July 2006 he narrated the BBC Radio 1 documentary Waiting for Superman, about the DC Comics character, using a cod-American accent.

He then performed various character roles in a number of independent drama productions broadcast on BBC Radio 7 and BBC Radio 4 Extra: firstly in a four-part Paul McGann Doctor Who radio serial titled Invaders from Mars, set in 1938 (broadcast at Halloween 2005), in which (amongst other parts) he made use of his remarkable facility for impersonating famous Hollywood stars by playing Orson Welles; and subsequently in seven new science fiction radio productions in The Scarifyers series, playing comedy parts in character alongside former Doctor Who actors Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart) and Terry Molloy (Davros), in the spoofs The Nazad Conspiracy and The Devil of Denge Marsh (both were three part serials broadcast during 2007, and repeated in 2009, 2010 and June 2012), For King and Country (a four-part serial broadcast in February 2009, repeated in December 2010, October 2011 and July 2012), The Curse of the Black Comet (a four-part serial broadcast in October 2010, repeated in May 2011, which also featured Brian Blessed), and The Secret Weapon of Doom (with Leslie Phillips) (a four-part serial broadcast in January 2012, repeated in January 2013).

Despite the death in 2011 of co-star Nicholas Courtney, 'The Scarifyers' series is to continue. David Warner and Philip Madoc have recorded two further serials alongside Terry Molloy, in which David Benson once again plays the character parts. The first of these, The Magic Circle, was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in January and February 2012 (and repeated in February 2013). The other, The Horror of Loch Ness, is currently in post-production.

He also plays the recurring role of Panda in the Iris Wildthyme series, a collection of humorous audio dramas released exclusively on CD, which stars another former Doctor Who companion, Katy Manning (Jo Grant), as Miss Wildthyme.

In December 2007 he appeared in another character role for radio, in a Saturday Play broadcast on BBC Radio 4, written by Pamela Branch. This was a comedy set in 1951, titled The Wooden Overcoat, in which he was cast as an extremely camp character, even more so than his role as Aleister Crowley in the Scarifyers serials, based in part on the character known as 'Snide', portrayed by Kenneth Williams on radio in Hancock's Half Hour and in the Carry On films.

These productions reveal Benson's talent for playing character parts in comedy, convincingly portraying not only American accents but also sundry East European and Russian accents, when cast as various mad scientists in the Dr Frankenstein mould. The Scarifyers serials also cast him in one highly camp role, as psychic investigator Aleister Crowley: a comic part with strongly emphasised similarities to his high-camp comedic style on stage, as Kenneth Williams and Frankie Howerd, in his one-man shows. In the various Scarifyers comedies he has typically played half a dozen character roles in each, filling up the cast by supplying the character parts not played by stars Nicholas Courtney and Terry Molloy, including - amidst his sinister East Europeans - lampooning sundry eccentric titled and upperclass Englishmen.

Comedy has been a recurring theme in his show business career, which began with his impersonation of two famous 'camp' comedians, Kenneth Williams and Frankie Howerd, then progressed to his role in the television situation comedy Goodnight Sweetheart camping it up as Noël Coward, and has now come full circle with his radio work, in which he plays comedy roles that owe much to the high-camp style popularised by Kenneth Williams. He cites the radio shows of Jack Benny and Spike Milligan as his earliest comedy influences.

Television

In 1975 at the age of 13, Benson wrote a story called "The Rag-and-Bone Man" for a contest on the BBC1 children's series Jackanory. His entry won and was performed by Kenneth Williams on the show. As an adult, Benson played Noël Coward on Goodnight Sweetheart during its fifth and sixth series. He also lent his voice to the 1998 Reputations documentary on Liberace's life, reading excerpts from Kenneth Williams' diary.

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References

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