News - updated Sun 6th March 2011

Vivian Stanshall's 'Sir Henry at Rawlinson End' returns to the stage, yet again!!!

New Dates for the Stage performance have been released, see below
Liverpool Unity Theatre - Sept 29, 30 and Oct 1 -

http://unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk/whats-on/atunitytheatre/details/65-sirhenryatrawlinsonend.html

London Lion and Unicorn Theatre - Oct 14 - http://www.giantolive.com/sirhenryatrawlinsonend.html

further dates in Manc, Yorks and Bristol will be announced shortly!

Sir Henry Recreated for the Radio Read on't.....
Grrrreeeeeaaaaat news! The cast have re-recorded the original Sir Henry album as a session to mark the fifth anniversary of the John Peel Memorial Radio Station 'Dandelion Radio'! It will be broadcast in 4 parts scattered across the most excellent Mr Mark Whitby's Radio Show.

To tune in and hear it visit http://www.dandelionradio.com/ at 12 noon on June 1st or 6pm on the 2nd.

For upcoming schedule, and listings of all subsequent re-broadcasts of the Mark W show please visithttp://www.dandelionradio.com/schedule.htm after midnight tonight, ie after the first, as then you will see the schedule for June!

Any feedback please get in touch!!!

Mike Livesly's performance of Sir Henry at Rawlinson End returned to the stage again toward the end of last year and will be returning this year for a tour.

Vivian Stanshall's 'Sir Henry at Rawlinson End' - our rave reviewed show was at Widnes Queens Hall Studio Saturday 20 November 2010. We're recording it for a live DVD/Blu-Ray release and broadcast next year!

Below are some photo's of Mike performing on stage.

Photography by Brian Roberts.

Follow them on Facebook

Don't forget their new shiny website www.sirhenrylives.com

Sir Henry on the Radio

Episodes from Sir Henry At Rawlinson End the radio series (sort of a series)
from the Peel Sessions are being broadcast on BBC Radio 7 from Tues 8th March at
10.30. If you miss them you could always try the BBC iPlayer.

Listen to the Trailer

Stinkfoot radio piece

There is a documentary piece on Stinkfoot on Radio 5 Live at 2.30am on Thurs 29th December - One for listening to on the iPlayer perhaps.

Viv painting for sale

Ian Logan has this to say:

I was at the Central School of Art with Vivian and Larry. At the end of our course there we would buy something from one an others final show. I bought a rather nice painting of Oscar Wilde by Vivian and still have it. photo below. i would like to sell it if anyone is interested. Do let me know.

You can contact Ian by e-mail - ian@ian-logan.co.uk

Stinkfoot re-staged

Stinkfoot tickets, dates etc are available here

http://www.gigantic.com/gigantic/home_stinkfoot_the_musical.html
http://www.alt-tickets.co.uk/alttickets/event_ate_11189a.html
It is July 20th, 21st, 22nd, 24th at the Thelka, Bristol and includes some original cast members and Silky Longfellow-Stanshall.

Only £12.50 - how can you resist?

THEKLA - Possibly the best bar and venue in Bristol -

www.theklabristol.co.uk

We are one of the city’s oldest and best loved clubs. Hosting various nights, from house to break beats to contemporary indie and guitar-orientated music, the crowd attracted is a good mix.

BUY TICKETS
Telephone:
08713 100 000

THEKLA
The Grove East Mud Dock Bristol BS1 4RB
0117 929 3301
office@theklabristol.co.uk <mailto:office@theklabristol.co.uk>

Some Comments from Facebook on Stinkfoot

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=47052327146

Ki Longfellow-Stanshall "Dear ALL - This is not your usual gig. It's a Showcase with the supposedly sole purpose of attracting a backer and/or backers for the staging of the actual honest-to-gosh-full-length musical in a real theatre. And for raising money to continue this campaign. Of course it will be an EVENT in itself, fully dressed and fully arranged and fully choreographed, but the limited comps are for invited backers and the media. I'm inviting as many media as I can get. So, basically, we can't use our precious free passes allowed us by the Thekla for our loving audience no matter how close they are to whoever is appearing on the stage. Thank you for your understanding!"

Three Bonzo's & A Piano

A Fantastic New Gig on 6th Feb at The Bloomsbury Theatre in London.

Check thier website for further updates

Five Bonzo's really, as this includes special guests Legs Larry Smith, and Vernon Dudley Bohay-Nowell.

The Band will also be releasing their new album "Hair of the Dog" at the gig.

Some More 3 Bonzo's and a Piano Gigs

They are:  Wednesday 27th January - The Lights, Andover
               Saturday 6th February - The Bloomsbury Theatre, London - this is a special gig as it will also include "Legs" Larry Smith and Vernon Dudley Bohay Nowell and is the official launch date of their new CD "Hair of the Dog"
               Friday 19th February - Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon
               Friday 7th May - The Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham
               Sunday 23rd May - The Komedia, Brighton

Viv on the radio
I expect you already know that BBC Radio 4 are 'doing' Vivian on the "Great Lives" series on 22nd December at 4.15pm - 4.55pm.  Repeated Radio 4 at 23.00 on Chrsitmas Day.

You can listen again Here

Also A Stinkfoot Showcase is playing at the Thekla in Bristol from 21st - 24th July  Great news, both.

2009 Gig dates as follows:

Sun 29 March: Cox's yard, Stratford

Fri 8 May: 100 Club, London

Wed 20 May: Bulls Head, Barnes

Mon 25 May: Komedia, Briaghton - as part of the Brighton festival fringe

Tue 2 june: Playhouse theatre, as part of Salisbury festival

Fri 19 June: Exeter summer festival

Thu 25 June: North Devon festival in Ilfracombe

Sun 17 Oct: Queens festival, Belfast

Sat 5 Dec: Howden winter festival in Yorkshire
Also potential date in Liverpool after Belfast.

Thanks to David Christie for forwarding this information. For other gigs of interest please visit here

To see some pictures / video of a recent prformance please visit here - Thanks to Alan 'Fred' Pipes.

Vivian's last tour(s)
In December John Beedell informed us of this:
I was one of the ‘2 musicians from Bristol’ that toured Dog Ends with Rodney Slater. My name is Jon Beedell and I played piano, while Richie Smith played drums. I also played piano for him on the BBC2 late show with Danny Thompson on bass.
We were approached by Vivian to play with him on what was to be virtually his last tour -because we had both previously worked with him on Stinkfoot in Bristol as the Desperate me – the name of our company. I played Screwy and Richie played Buster. Far from being ‘street buskers found in Bristol’ – we were ( and still are ) a professional outfit that was touring cabaret and theatre work indoors and out from 1980. Vivian kept booking us again and again on the Thekla / Old Profanity Showboat and we formed a friendship that was, and is, precious and special.
We had a long association with Vivian and were very much a part of making Stinkfoot what it was, along with the rest of the hard working, dedicated cast.  
There are rumours of a revival of Stinkfoot, and I for one, will definitely be there on the first night.

Stinkfoot Revival?
Ki Longfellow has this to say:
that a serious effort is being made to restage Stinkfoot next year.
Over there, of course (ie: here, in the UK). And I shall have to come over and so will Silky.
And along with us there comes an assortment of such things as are
needed to do it well.
One of the ways to make things happen is to say they will happen and to
say it loudly and publicly. You would reply so that we might discuss
how to say it best on your site? It's up today on the gingergeezer site
(going to have to do a lot of updating there) with the intention of
whetting the appetite which will grow and grow.
Kiiiiiiiiiiii
So spread the word and we'll try to make this an inevitability

Ace Records release?
Chris Male has sent us this tempting little tidbit:
You might be interested to know that the networking site FACEBOOK has
actually been useful for once.
A while ago I set up a group on there entitled GET WARNERS TO RELEASE A
VIVIAN STANSHALL BOX SET.
Well, thanks to that and various emails that I won't bore you with - a
record company called ACE RECORDS who are famous for re-releasing old
material are currently working on some sort of a Vivian release. I'm
not
sure that it will be a comprehensive box set - but it may see tracks
from Men opening umbrellas ahead being made available on CD for the
first time. The people involved are Liz Buckley and Tony Rounce. I'll
let you know if I get anymore info on this project.
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=63

Taunton Thespians tweak His Lordship
Michael Gilbert got in touch to say:
We (Taunton Thespians) have done a ten minute adaptation of a chunk of Sir Henry, performed for our own amusement. By the strange workings of whatever, we have been asked to do a spot on a local community radio station and would like to include this piece. I’ve been trying to get hold of Ki Stanshall to see what the copyright issues might be, but with no luck. Our Treasurer (in the way of treasurers the world over) is muttering about how massive the costs could be if we don’t get consent and the thing is broadcast, as the “community” now covers the globe thanks to the Internet.
I’ve emailed Ki Stanshall via the Ginger Geezer site, and had nothing back as yet. After many years of wanting to, a friend and I have taken the core story as per the LP and pruned and tweaked it into a ten minute radio play for multiple voices and live SFX – I’ve attached a PDF of the thing. I have emailed Nick Linfield, who did the play, and he found it equally difficult.
As far as it may be relevant, I’m doing this as a member of Taunton Thespians, not for profit, and we would like to broadcast it on 10Radio, a local community radio station in Somerset – website www.10radio.org – who won’t be selling it either. Obviously, it will be broadcast via the Web. Equally obviously, a recording of the session would be added to your archive.
As he never heard anything from anyone about copyrights, we suspect that this fell through. If not, or if they recorded it but never broadcast it we'll try ti got hold of this for your edification. But in the meantime, enjoyt the aforementioned PDF of the script.
Quite wonderfult o read, listening to Vivian's voice in one's head. My only quibble is that 'The stoty so far...' isn't quite long enough, doesnt mention Sandra and doesn't end 'Now read on dot dot dot dot...'
Whoops! - We forgot to add said PDF to our last CD-Rom magazine, so I hope you've found it here...

Mark Millmore got in touch to say:
My name is Mark Millmore, I was a close friend of Vivian's during the
last ten years of his life - we worked together on a few projects such
as stinkfoot.
I first met Vivian at a print workshop in Bristol and
helped him with his etchings. I did not know who he was to begin with
so we got off on the right foot. When I did realise who he was i said
'you're the guy who was in the bonzos - i had the Urban Spaceman but
thought the flip side (the Canons of your mind) was a better song'
I did not know that Viv wrote that song and hated Urban spaceman so he
took a shine to me after that and we became friends.
I was going through a few old boxes the other day when i came across a
film 'Vivian Stanshall's Week'.
I've converted it to a digital file and uploaded it to my YouTube
channel
I hope you will find this useful. I must admit watching it made me
miss Viv's company and conversation. He had a positive influence in my
life and I dedicated my book to him when it was published last year.
Please give my regards to Rupert - with his faults and virtues his dad
was a thourghally good egg.
by the way I think the colours and style of your site is in character
with Vivian. I've got some of his drawings in my plan chest If you
want I'll scan them and let you have them for you website.
He would have loved the internet it is something I was going to get
him into (I first got into making websites in 94/95) - pity he died
just as the medium was just getting off the ground.
I've just made a website with lots of Videos and a link to your site
on every page
http://www.vivianstanshall.co.uk

STREET OLYMPICS IN MUSWELL HILL
For the third year running residents of Hillfield Park and St James’s Lane included Olympic Games in their Midsummer Street Party, held on Sunday afternoon 22 June.
The first race was their Mini-Marathon (to Parkland Walk and back)

and the final race was a terrifying uphill cycle race to the Broadway.  In between were all the favourite events including Penalty Shoot-out, Egg and Spoon race, Dog Agility Trials and the stamina-testing Hulahoopathon.  At the same time there was fancy face-painting.

A Lucky Dip, a Bric-a-Brac stall and a Treasure Hunt.  The sun shone all day and it was good to take a break from athletics for the award of Olympic medals by Lynne Featherstone MP, who also unveiled a plaque to Viv Stanshall of the Bonzo Dog Doodah Band.  Viv was a much-loved resident of Hillfield Park from 1990 until his death in 1995. 
Later in the afternoon there was an enterprising fashion show, to promote recycling, and the event closed with an open air concert by the neighbourhood’s talented musicians with a great variety of instruments and many songs from the shows.  Viv would have approved.
By Peter Thompson

Vivian Stanshall spent the last years of his life at 21 Hillfield Park, Muswell Hill London N10. He died there too. He was a popular local character, well liked and warmly remembered by his neighbours. We, the residents of Hillfield Park, hold an annual street party (and olympics!) and this year we have commissioned the making of a plaque to record his residence at No 21 (name, dates and rubric: THE URBAN SPACEMAN). It is due to be unveiled by our local MP (Lynne Featherstone) on the occasion of our Street Party on Sunday afternoon 22 June 2008. We thought you might like to cover this bit of news.

Martyn Swain’s project - as this is a little long it's on a different page

NISA is no more:
Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:06 pm     NISA / NIVA
(R.I.P.)
Dear Friends,
Due to an increasing workload at the University I work
at (60 hour weeks not uncommon) I can no longer find
the time to run NISA / NIVA.
I still manage to find a couple of hours a month to do
some audio remastering of material for friends but can
no longer find the large periods of time necessary to
duplicate discs for others.
It is with a sad heart that I have to call time once
and for all on NISA / NIVA.
Thank you for supporting NISA over the past 6 years or
so and I hope that I have managed to spread a little
Innespiration to others out there.
I would be grateful if some of those people who have
benefited from NISA / NIVA in the past could find a
way to 'tree' the material to others out there in
'Innesdom', perhaps through contacts / postings on
this message board.
Once again I would like to thank all those people who
have contributed to and supported NISA over the past 6
years.
Gib mir zehn Jahre deines Lebens! (not quite)......
Best Wishes,
Andrew.

We all owe Dr Andrew Warrilow a huge debt - if it weren't for NISA, SHARE would never have existed.

Gerald Lea’s write up on The Bonzo’s Night at The National Film Theatre.
Wednesday 23 May 2007.
I arrived at the National Film Theatre a bit early so I sauntered into the bar for a sit-down and a pint. I spotted Rodney Slater with family ensemble at one table, later Sam Spoons reared his head.
Once seated in the theatre there was a brief introduction, after which Rodney & Sam were brought out (not that they’d been kept in boxes like ventriloquist dummies hitherto).
Rodney apologised that more Bonzos hadn't shown up & Sam showed us his shiny new and well earned Flora London Marathon Medal.
 
The programme line up included a lot of Do Not Adjust Your Set, judging from the linking material I'd say the Bonzo's in the flesh were the best thing about it. There was also the Bonzo's performing the Head Ballet & singing Equestrian Statue on Pathe Pictorial Newsreel’s. Charming a probably baffled audience on ’New Faces’, singing Death Cab for Cutie for John & George in Magical Mystery Tour. Vivian reading sea poetry on The Innes Book of Records and Roger Ruskin Spear demonstrating his creations on Full House.
 
Part of the Late Show tribute to Vivian Stanshall including Crank was shown. It felt strange watching Vivian at his most emotionally naked with people who'd known him personally. Odder still was that it was cut just after Vivian's jolly World War 2 number about his childhood growing up in Chertsey. Finally came the Adventures of the Son of the Exploding Sausage, an amazing home movie in the tradition of The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film. It's a great shame that this isn't widely available as it was the most surreal and enjoyable short film.
The Exploding Sausage is, I think the only clip shown which hasn’t circulated in its entirety in some way in the public domain or obtained by SHARE.
 
Afterwards Rodney & Sam happily signed autographs for the fans, much to their delight.
By Gerald Lea

Below is slightly older news...

NOW 4 disseminated

The official newsletter (really a CD of audio, video, interviews articles and absurity) of the Vivian Stanshall Appreciation Society & Archive, 'I don't know what I want, but I want it NOW!', issue 4 managed to slip out before the recent postal strikes. This issue is a little more experimental than the rest in that it was all done in Flash, with the long-term aim of doing the same for this site. You'd like whistles, bells, ukukeles, ad breaks and Reg Smeaton poking his knows-it-all into your computer, wouldn't you?

Bonzo's Xmas Gigs

Yes, the Bonzo's are being dragged out of the wardrobe and haviong their cobwebs dusted off for a further couple of performances...

There's the forthcoming 'The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band Christmas Show' to look forward to. The shows will take place on Friday 21st December and Saturday 22nd December at the Shepherds Bush Empire, Shepherds Bush Green, London W12 8TT.
Doors open: 19:00 Start time: 20:00
Ticket price: £35 plus booking and postage fees

To book tickets go to the official website

OLD NEWS