Ken Campbell - The Great Caper

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0120110404Ken Campbell, who died in September 2008, was one of the great mavericks of British theatre.

Ill-suited to a role in conventional theatre, he created a risk-taking confrontational style of performance, which often explored unlikely subject matter. He became, in director Mike Leigh's words, 'The outsider's outsider

Bob Hoskins, Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent are amongst the performers whose formative years were spent working with Campbell. What did the director and producer bring to performance that made him such a mesmeric figure?

Michael Coveney's biography tells the story of Campbell, the great adventurer of British theatre.

Writer Michael Coveney is a long-standing theatre critic, who has worked for The Financial Times, The Observer and The Daily Mail. Actor Toby Jones played Truman Capote in 'Infamous' and Swifty Lazar in 'Frost/Nixon' and recently reprised the role of Dobby in the film 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'. Toby has also appeared in a production of 'The Warp' by Neil Oram, the 22-hour epic created by Ken Campbell.

A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4.

The writer, director and maverick's life, from Gants Hills to repertory theatre.

0220110405Michael Coveney's biography tells the story of Campbell, the great adventurer of British theatre.

Campbell's disastrous experience at the Royal Court Theatre in London shapes the direction of his career. With the Roadshow he takes theatre to the people.

Ken Campbell, who died in September 2008, was one of the great mavericks of British theatre.

Ill-suited to a role in conventional theatre, he created a risk-taking confrontational style of performance, which often explored unlikely subject matter.

He became, in director Mike Leigh's words, 'The outsider's outsider

Bob Hoskins, Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent are amongst the performers whose formative years were spent working with Campbell. What did the director and producer bring to performance that made him such a mesmeric figure?

Writer Michael Coveney is a long-standing theatre critic, who has worked for The Financial Times, The Observer and The Daily Mail. Actor Toby Jones played Truman Capote in 'Infamous' and Swifty Lazar in 'Frost/Nixon' and recently reprised the role of Dobby in the film 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'. Toby has also appeared in a production of 'The Warp' by Neil Oram, the 22-hour epic created by Ken Campbell.

A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4.

Campbell's disastrous experience at the Royal Court Theatre shapes his career.

0320110406Michael Coveney's biography tells the story of Campbell, the great adventurer of British theatre.

Campbell's Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool presents his first epic, the nine-hour drama 'Illuminatus'.

Ken Campbell, who died in September 2008, was one of the great mavericks of British theatre.

Ill-suited to a role in conventional theatre, he created a risk-taking confrontational style of performance, which often explored unlikely subject matter.

He became, in director Mike Leigh's words, 'The outsider's outsider

Bob Hoskins, Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent are amongst the performers whose formative years were spent working with Campbell. What did the director and producer bring to performance that made him such a mesmeric figure?

Writer Michael Coveney is a long-standing theatre critic, who has worked for The Financial Times, The Observer and The Daily Mail. Actor Toby Jones played Truman Capote in 'Infamous' and Swifty Lazar in 'Frost/Nixon' and recently reprised the role of Dobby in the film 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'. Toby has also appeared in a production of 'The Warp' by Neil Oram, the 22-hour epic created by Ken Campbell.

A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4.

The nine-hour drama 'Illuminatus!' becomes Ken Campbell's first epic production.

0420110407Michael Coveney's biography tells the story of Campbell, the great adventurer of British theatre.

By Michael Coveney. In his production of 'The Warp', Campbell made arduous demands on his cast. For actor Russell Denton it was a life-changing experience.

Ken Campbell, who died in September 2008, was one of the great mavericks of British theatre.

Ill-suited to a role in conventional theatre, he created a risk-taking confrontational style of performance, which often explored unlikely subject matter.

He became, in director Mike Leigh's words, 'The outsider's outsider

Bob Hoskins, Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent are amongst the performers whose formative years were spent working with Campbell. What did the director and producer bring to performance that made him such a mesmeric figure?

Writer Michael Coveney is a long-standing theatre critic, who has worked for The Financial Times, The Observer and The Daily Mail. Actor Toby Jones played Truman Capote in 'Infamous' and Swifty Lazar in 'Frost/Nixon' and recently reprised the role of Dobby in the film 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'. Toby has also appeared in a production of 'The Warp' by Neil Oram, the 22-hour epic created by Ken Campbell.

A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4.

During production of 'The Warp', Campbell made arduous demands.

05 LAST20110408Michael Coveney's biography tells the story of Campbell, the great adventurer of British theatre.

In his later work, Campbell focuses on improvisation; taking the safety-net of the script away from his performers.

Ken Campbell, who died in September 2008, was one of the great mavericks of British theatre.

Ill-suited to a role in conventional theatre, he created a risk-taking confrontational style of performance, which often explored unlikely subject matter.

He became, in director Mike Leigh's words, 'The outsider's outsider

Bob Hoskins, Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent are amongst the performers whose formative years were spent working with Campbell. What did the director and producer bring to performance that made him such a mesmeric figure?

Writer Michael Coveney is a long-standing theatre critic, who has worked for The Financial Times, The Observer and The Daily Mail. Actor Toby Jones played Truman Capote in 'Infamous' and Swifty Lazar in 'Frost/Nixon' and recently reprised the role of Dobby in the film 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'. Toby has also appeared in a production of 'The Warp' by Neil Oram, the 22-hour epic created by Ken Campbell.

A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4.

By Michael Coveney. In Cambell's later years, his work focuses on improvisation.