{"product_id":"9781848420762-ken-campbell-the-great-caper","title":"Ken Campbell: The Great Caper","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first, authorised biography of the anarchic comic genius, much cherished for his performances on stage and screen.\u003c\/p\u003e. \u003cp\u003eThe first, authorised biography of the anarchic comic genius, much cherished for his performances on stage and screen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKen Campbell (1941–2008) was a one-man whirlwind who tore through the British theatre establishment using well-rehearsed anarchy and a genius for surreal comedy. Starting out in rep at Stoke-on-Trent, he founded the Ken Campbell Road Show, whose members included the then-unknown Bob Hoskins and Sylvester McCoy, and which toured pubs and clubs with dramatised urban myths and shaggy-dog stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis later shows included \u003cem\u003eIlluminatus!\u003c\/em\u003e – the first show at the National Theatre's studio – and the 22-hour \u003cem\u003eThe Warp\u003c\/em\u003e, the longest play in the world. On television he played corrupt lawyer Alex Gladwell in the 1970s series \u003cem\u003eLaw and Order\u003c\/em\u003e, and was Alf Garnett's neighbour Fred Johnson in the sitcom \u003cem\u003eIn Sickness and in Health\u003c\/em\u003e. He later found a devoted audience with his mesmerising one-man shows, which he toured worldwide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKen Campbell 'became a grand old man of the fringe, though without ever discarding his inner enfant terrible' \u003cem\u003eIndependent\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheatre critic Michael Coveney was given unrestricted access to Campbell's letters, notebooks and original scripts. From these and from interviews with Campbell's many devoted\/bemused collaborators, he has chronicled the life of the anarchic and uncompromising genius that was Ken Campbell.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlternately inspiring and jaw-dropping, \u003cem\u003eThe Great Caper\u003c\/em\u003e is the story of a unique and inimitable talent in British theatre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41644863160417,"sku":"9781848420762","price":15.92,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9781848420762-ken-campbell-the-great-caper","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}