Sir Henry At Rawlinson End

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Sir Henry at Rawlinson End is a largely-spoken word, solo comedy recording by Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band member Vivian Stanshall. It ultimately originated in Vivian Stanshall's recordings for the John Peel Show on BBC Radio One in the mid 1970s, and a track on the Bonzo's 1972 album Let's Make Up and Be Friendly (United Artists UAS29288/Sunset SLS50418) by Neil Innes and Vivian Stanshall (which was also previewed on Peel's show in 1971, with Innes & Stanshall appearing under the name Freaks).[1]

Contents

[edit] Description

In 1970, Stanshall took over John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show, while Peel enjoyed a holiday. Contributing to Peel programmes over a number of years, Stanshall played many new and old songs, and also piloted and previewed many different musical and spoken word comedy sketches and songs. Ultimately, several of these formed a vaguelly cohesive whole around Sir Henry Rawlinson and his abode, Rawlinson End, which were then compiled and edited by Stanshall for release.[2]

Released as an LP in 1978, Sir Henry At Rawlinson End by Vivian Stanstall was released on the Charisma Records label (CAS 1139), and featured Stanshall talking and singing (as multiple characters) about the fictional history of Sir Henry Rawlinson. Puns, double-entendres, pop-cultural-references and all manner of clever wordplay abounds, as Stanshall initially takes the role of un-named Narrator, and drifts between characters and narrator thereafter. The fifteen tracks are essentially one long performance piece, but are as follows:

[edit] Tracklist

Tracks (songs)

  • Aunt Florrie's Waltz - Theme: "Rawlinson End theme"; Aunt Florrie's Waltz
  • Interlewd - Theme: Interlewd
  • Wheelbarrow - Wheelbarrow
  • Socks - Socks
  • The Rub - 'The Rub
  • Nice 'N' Tidy - Nice 'n' Tidy
  • Pigs 'Ere Purse - Theme: Intermission for clarinet and lips - Pigs 'ere Purse
  • 6/8 Hoodoo - Theme: 6/8 Hoodoo
  • Smeeton - Smeeton
  • Fool & Bladder - The Fool & Bladder
  • Endroar - Endroar
  • Junglebunny - Theme: Junglebunny; Theme: Soft "Rawlinson End theme"
  • The Beasht Inshide - The Beasht Inshide
  • Rawlinsons & Maynards - Rawlinsons & Maynards
  • Papadumb - Theme: Papadumb; Theme: "Rawlinson End theme"; "Rawlinson End theme" variations

[edit] Characters

The tracks are named after their prominent musical piece, and most feature at least one vocal number, intermingled with spoken word performances by Stanshall as both narrator and the many and various Rawlinson-related characters. These characters including: Sir Henry Rawlinson himself, his wife Lady Florrie Rawlinson (née Maynard), Ralph (`Raif') Rawlinson and Candice Rawlinson (their children) and Henry's brothers Hubert (the younger brother) & Humbert (dead older brother, deceased, and now a ghost).

During the course of the recording, other characters both appear and are mentioned in passing. They include the staff of Rawlinson End: Mr. Cumberpatch (former gardener), Old Scrotum the Wrinkled Retainer (butler) and Mrs. E (housekeeper); various relatives Florrie's brother Lord Tarquin Portly of Staines and his wife the Lady Phillipa of Staines. Other characters include the landlord of the local pub (The Fool & Bladder) Seth One-Tooth, Reg Smeeton, a walking encyclopedia and "contract house clean[ers]" and "resting theatrical artistes" Teddy Tidy and Nigel Nice.[3]

[edit] Musical instruments

The recording features many musical interludes, and all sorts of odd and esoteric credited musical instruments. Stanshall himself is credited with the vocals, and also with playing: the talking drum, bean, thumb piano, clay drum, baconium, wooden cornet, banjolele, percussion, jabbamok, cacaphone, balalaika, phonofiddle, bina, Th'at, piano, sarrusophone, recorders, euphonium, bass harmonica, jew's harp, cornets, trombone, ukulele, threeps, truncheon, tuba, guitar, melodica, flageolets, dum-dum, kazoo and mouth trumpet. He is supported vocally during Wheelbarrow by "the Exishanshalliste Songsters", and musically in most songs by Steve Winwood (playing variously the mini-moog, banjolin, organ, pipe-organ, balalaika, piano, celeste, mandolin and accordion), Jim Cuomo (on flageolet, recorder, bass & soprano saxophones and clarinet), Julian Smedley (playing violin, mandolin, guitar and fiddle) and Pete Moss (with accordion, cello, fiddle, banjo and violin). For the 6/8 Hoodoo theme, one Jim French, "Terrier-man to the Cotswold Hunt" is credited with the "holler & hunting-horn".[4]


[edit] Other media

The story as described on the lp (as well as most of the script) was used as the basis for the 1980 film version Sir Henry at Rawlinson End starring Trevor Howard as Sir Henry, and Vivian Stanshall as Hubert (and voiceover narration). To tie in with the film, Eel Pie Publishing released the script/transcription as Sir Henry at Rawlinson End And Other Spots, a 112pg script book. (ISBN 0-906-00821-2)

In 1983, a semi-sequel entitled Sir Henry at Ndidi's Krall was released by Demon Verbals, with the catalogue number "VERB 1".

In 1994, Stanshall joined Mel Smith and Dawn French (both playing Sir Henry in different adverts) in a series of television advertisements for real ale purveyor Ruddles Beer.[5]

In 1995, Virgin released Sir Henry at Rawlinson End on CD and cassette under their "Virgin Chattering Classics" label. The sequel Sir Henry at Ndidi's Kraal was released on CD by Edsel in 1999.

[edit] Selected quotes

Narrator: "English as tuppence, changing yet changeless as canal water, nestling in green nowhere, armoured and effete, bold flag-bearer, lotus-fed Miss Havishambling opsimath and eremite, feudal still, reactionary Rawlinson End. The story so far..." The listeners first introduction to Sir Henry.. and Stanshall's erratic, pun-laden delivery
Sir Henry: "Filth Hounds of Hades!"
Sir Henry: "Tongue sandwiches? Yeeurgh! Eat what? But it's been in somebody else's mouth!"
Sir Henry to Mrs E.: "I don't know what I want, but I want it now!"
Narrator: "Hubert, although himself Karloff-soft-spoken, liked to hear other people shouting. This he considered not only healthful, but just might, if taken to its illogical conclusion, do away with telephones. Thus, it was not only for speed, stature and far-seeing that habitually he went on stilts..."
Sir Henry: "I'll see 'em off the premises m'self. The hounds are all fagged out from yesterday's Jehovah's Witnesses, and we don't want blood all over the lawns again."
Lady Phillipa: "Do you mind if I smoke?"
Narrator: "..asked Lady Phillipa, plucking an immense Meerschaum pipe and pouch from her crocodile handbag."
Sir Henry: "Not if y'don't mind my wife throwing up."
Narrator: "..grunted Henry."
Sir Henry "If I had all the money I'd spent on drink ... I'd spend it on drink"
Narrator: "Henry, now refuelled with several great gulps of Southampton Red Rum, a brainstorming cocktail involving a large port, vodka, rum and horseradish sauce, continued:"
Sir Henry "These're the only spirits I want tormenting my body... (sniff) Personally, when you're dead you're gorn. Afterlife, aftershave, blugh! Don't hold with any of it."
Narrator: "He glared at Great Aunt Florrie, who was of quite a different opinion, an almost chandelier with pisces, St. Christopher, crucifix, rabbit's foot and lucky whale's teeth about her neck."
Sir Henry: "I don't give a toss what you've done with me when I've shrugged off m' mortal coil... Shove a bit of flex up m' back passage, stick a lightbulb in m' mouth and stand me in the hall. (sniff) Mind you, if you're using electricity you'll have to dry me out first!"
Quotes[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Vivian Stanshall's Radio Flashes. Accessed February 4, 2008
  2. ^ Vivian Stanshall's Radio Flashes. Accessed February 4, 2008
  3. ^ Sir Henry... transcription. Accessed February 4, 2008
  4. ^ Sir Henry... transcription. Accessed February 4, 2008
  5. ^ Ruddles Ads. Accessed February 4, 2008
  6. ^ Sir Henry... transcription. Accessed February 4, 2008

[edit] External links