Stop Messing About

Those of us of a certain age will have fond memories of growing up to the sound of Kenneth William's nasal shrieking as he sought to affront the BBC's sensibilities and drag the listener into his world of characters both weird and wonderful. In the mid 50's Mr Williams stole into our consciousness as a supporting actor on Hancock's Half Hour. Sacked by Tony Hancock for 'being too bloody popular' and scene stealing, Williams quickly found a home for himself alongside Kenneth Horne in Beyond Our Ken where his revue-style characterisation skills were put to good use in a wide range of voices. Beyond Our Ken morphed into Round The Horne in due course and eventually did a Dr Who-style regeneration into Stop Messing About.
Round The Horne was recycled and Revisited to great success so it was only a matter of time before Stop Messing About's archives were rifled and a stage show of the best bits sent out on the road.
For older show-goers this is a comfortable return to a time when every entendre was doubled (but never trebled!) but nary a swear word was uttered. With local references added for each town on the tour today's audience will get many of the jokes that went over the heads of 60's innocents.
Kenneth Willimas, Hugh Paddick and Joan Sims are affectionately tributed, while the BBC studio set is ably serviced by an onstage engineer and the whole thing is chaotically compered by 'straight' man Douglas Smith.
A joy from a bygone age brought back to life for new generations to appreciate

© Paul Towers 17/2/2010