The Bensonian Archives

Episodes

1. 14

   David Benson Live at the Club for Acts and Actors (CAA)

   I closed the bill at the CAA's Monday Night Concert on 30th November 2009. I was lucky to be accompanied by the venerable m.d. Terry White, who did an excellent job. In the audience was lovely Pamela Cundell aka Mrs. Fox off Dad's Army, now Queen of the CAA (see photo, taken 2008 at CAA). Host:...

   Dec 1, 2009

   17m
2. 13

   Parkinson's Sunday Supplement BBC R2 11th January 1997

   I was amazed and flattered, during the run of Think No Evil at Us at Birmingham Rep (Dec 96-Jan 97) to be asked onto legendary chat-show host Michael Parkinson's Radio 2 afternoon show. It was my birthday too so it had a feeling of significance and the promise of having 'arrived'. Of course, it…

   more
   Mar 11, 2009

   13m
3. 12

   BBC Radio London, Tessa Dunlop Show 8-2-08 11.35pm

   This is where it all went horribly wrong with Clayton and I and Radio London host Tessa Dunlop. The first one we did with her, last December, was a delight. We did another in January 2008 (not posted here yet) in which the end of our hour was marred by our use of words in Clayton's blog…

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   Feb 9, 2008

   28m
4. 11

   Scott Mills Show, BBC Radio One January 24th 2008

   Another job for Radio 1, this is one of the strangest assignments I have ever been asked to perform. I was asked onto the Scott Mills show to help with a stunt which involved Scott giving me, in the guise of a high-up BBC executive, a tour of the Radio 1 building and meeting various employees -...

   Jan 25, 2008

   8m
5. 10

   Mavis Nicholson, BBC Radio 2, December 1996

   This is an interview I did backstage at the King's Head Theatre, Upper Street, North London, immediately following a performance of Think No Evil of Us - My Life With Kenneth Williams, in December 1996. The show was still very new, just down from Edinburgh and I was overwhelmed at the response I...

   Jan 5, 2008

   22m
6. 9

   The Wooden Overcoat BBC Radio Four 22nd December 2007

   I play the part of Rex in this adaptation by Mark (League of Gentlemen) Gatiss of 1950's novelist Pamela Branch's black comedy. I was delighted to be working not only with the excellent and ubiquitous David Tennant but also with the brilliant Julia Davis, whose BBC4 series Nighty Night was such a...

   Dec 31, 2007

   1h 02m
7. 8

   BBC Radio London, Tessa Dunlop Show 15th December 2007 00:12 - 01:00am

   By a bizarre co-incidence I was invited on to this delightful woman's show the same night as a very good friend of mine, Clayton. It was the midnight spot where a couple of guests 'review' the next day's papers and plug their products: in Clayton's case, his Myspace blog about Soho life...

   Dec 31, 2007

   52m
8. 7

   The Rag and Bone Man read by Kenneth Williams, Jackanory Wednesday 10th December 1975

   In December 1975 I was one of the winners of the BBC's annual Jackanory Story Writing Competition. My prize was to have have my story read by Kenneth Williams. There were two anonymous presenters who read the bulk of the winning entries in the studio. Halfway through the programme, came the star...

   Dec 31, 2007

   5m
9. 6

   Mr. Crowley's Christmas

   A special Christmas skit featuring Scarifyers' favourite Aleister Crowley in a twist on Dicken's A Christmas Carol. Also featuring Nicholas courtney, Terry Molloy and Ilona McDonald. Written and produced by Simon Barnard For more on The Scarifyers series, see www.cosmichobo.com

   Dec 31, 2007

   4m
10. 5

    Loose Ends BBC Radio Four, Saturday 16th December 2007

    I was asked on to plug my show Christmas Party. Here I am performing a song from the show with Alex Silverman. You will also hear the host Peter Curran and actor Peter Bowles. Also in the studio were Mark Gatiss, Robin Ince, John Bird and Jeremy Beadle.

    Dec 31, 2007

    5m
11. 4

    Kenneth Williams Last Diary Entries

    The last chapter of The Private World of Kenneth Williams, a project I put together with producer Jonathan James Moore in 2003. The three half-hour programmes comprised readings by me from The Kenneth Williams Diaries, interspersed with recordings of Kenneth himself in performance. Here are the...

    Dec 31, 2007

    5m
12. 3

    Ruth Draper and Her Company of Characters

    Broadcast BBC Radio Four, December 2002 I was invited by producer Jonathan James Moore to put together a tribute to my great theatrical hero Ruth Draper (1884-1956). It was a great honour to be able to pay public tribute to this brilliant performer, now sadly mostly forgotten but a huge and...

    Dec 30, 2007

    30m
13. 2

    Bert The Radio One Receptionist + Wes Butters, Daniel Bedingfield, Jo Jo, Brian McFadden

    Wes Butters, then host of Radio One's Chart Show, asked me to play the part of Bert for this skit. The voices of the stars (whoever they are) are genuine, recorded specially for the broadcast. Wes also asked me to do a couple of 'wind-up' calls, which I don't really approve of and I found hard to...

    Dec 30, 2007

    7m
14. 1

    Carry On Filming (Documentary) BBC Radio One 27-2-06

    I was asked to provide voices for Kenneth Williams and Frankie Howerd in this BBC Radio One doc' about the UK film industry. Prod/writer Simon Barnard

    Dec 30, 2007

    32m