UP POMPEI
The Shaw Theatre

“Titter ye not!” The eternal cry of camp icon Frankie Howerd.
Welcome to ancient Rome, where the steps of the Forum are peopled by nubile slave girls and a range of outrageous characters including Lurcio’s owner, Ludicrous Sextus the Senator, his wife Ammonia, his son Nausius and his daughter, Erotica. Lurcio attempts to deliver his prologue and begin proceedings before he’s quickly caught up in the myriad of sexual liaisons in all quarters of his master’s house.

Why does Ludicrous not leave for the Senate meeting in Rome? Why does his wife return so quickly from the country? Who will take care of the escaped slave girl, Voluptua, and will Nausius’s love poetry improve? Whilst growing chaos ensues, an increasing rumbling is heard in the distance – what could that possibly be?

Up Pompei started out as a  British TV series and mutated into various films, sequels and even a stage play. Although Frankie Howerd is the very epitome of British Camp throughout his career, Howerd was in the closet to both his audience and his mother Edith. He did however have a successful thirty year relationship with Dennis Heymer who acted as his manager until Howerd’s death in 1992.

Howerd’s relationship and crippling mental health issues were explored in a 2008 drama for BBC Four, Rather You Than Me, starring David Walliams and Rafe Spall.

This new recording features an irresistible all-star cast which includes the extraordinarily charismatic Cleo Rocos (‘The Kenny Everett Show’/’Celebrity Big Brother’) as Suspenda, Tim Brooke-Taylor (best known as one third of the legendary TV comedy trio The Goodies) who plays Captain Treacherus.  Madeline Smith is a veteran of the Hammer Horror franchise (and also appeared in the original films ‘Up Pompeii’ and ‘Up the Front’) and here she plays Ammonia.  Camille Coduri is Voluptua (and who has the most amazingly sexy voice – she is best known for playing Jackie Tyler in ‘Doctor Who’ and starred in cult comedy ‘Him & Her’ alongside Queerguru favorite Russell Tovey).

The star of the show however is of course the astonishing David Benson playing Frankie Howerd “Oooh I cant read my own ad libs!”. Benson is the master of the one man show  (‘Think No Evil Of Us: My Life With Kenneth Williams’, ‘Nothing But Pleasure (a.k.a. Mourning Glory)’, ‘To Be Frank: Frankie Howerd and The Secret of Happiness’, ‘Star Struck: A Fantasy Celebrity Party’ ‘David Benson’s Haunted Stage’ ‘It’s A Plot: David Benson’s Conspiracy Cabaret’, ‘Why Pay More’, ‘David Benson’s Christmas Party’ ‘Doctor Whom: My Search for Samuel Johnson’,) and that goes some way to explaining how he is able to sustain this demanding central comic character with such focus .

It’s a real tongue twister of a show; “Whilst they scheme and lust, I’ll clean and dust!”. Some references have been updated (‘slating,’ like texting, is the new craze) but there are spectacularly complicated plot twists with comings and goings that are difficult to follow when its just audio but the sheer silliness of the piece carries us all along and Benson delivers the catchphrases we know and love with vim and vigour.

Up Pompeii; A 50th Anniversary Audio Revival will be released 29th November 2019.

REVIEW : JONNY WARD

Jonny Ward, Queerguru Contributing Editor is a drama graduate but has worked backstage for many years at venues such as The ROYAL ALBERT Hall, The 02, Southbank Centre and is currently at The National Theatre. He lives in Hoxton, London and is delighted to check out the latest, the hottest and the downright dodgy in queer culture for Queerguru. (P.S. He is currently single)  @JonnyWard360