Brian taylor to adapt robert anton wilson and robert shea. You will find lots of interesting and relevant material at, e. But as michael coveneys delightful biography also makes clear, the actorcumwritercumdirector cant so easily be categorised, patronised and dismissed. On a particularly lovely friday afternoon, i found the blocklike tome of illuminatus. The guinness book of records listed the latter as the longest play in the world. An incomplete comic book version of the illuminatus. He was beaten to the role by his old protege sylvester mccoy, but an independently written and produced episode, the lost doctor, features the voice of ken campbell. If you are a comic or agent wanting your details to appear on chortle. Kenneth victor campbell was an english writer, actor, director and comedian known for his work in experimental theatre.
The multifarious products of ken campbells profoundly anarchistic theatrical. Stage shows salute theatre genius of king of comic capers 10 years on from his death. Ken campbell, 66 when he died in 2008 of a heart attack near his swiss chalet in epping forest, was a great british eccentric. Grant morrisons comic book series, the invisibles, is coming to tv. The first, authorised biography of the anarchic comic genius, much cherished for his performances on stage and screen. Most theatre, he said, is so boring, youd rather be watching traffic. Illsuited to a role in conventional theatre, he created a risktaking confrontational style of performance, which often explored unlikely subject matter. Recognized by discordianism as an episkopos, pope, and saint, wilson helped publicize the group through his writings and interviews. Kenton stewart wall campbell, known as ken campbell, was an australian palaeontologist and academic. This production and the novel that it was based on irrevocably changed the lives of all who were.
Nov 08, 2011 fortean times issue 17 august 1976 announced on page 23 that ken campbell honorary member of the isle of wight fortean society had written a cycle of five plays based on the illuminatus. This is a compendium of madness culled from all the key books of the what. January 18, 1932 january 11, 2007 was an american author, novelist, essayist, editor, playwright, poet, futurist, and selfdescribed agnostic mystic. You can also find reading groups working on the illuminatus chronicles currently reading the widows son why not join us. Ken campbell interview with the wonderfully innovative fortean humorist. The cosmic trigger driving miss daisy confidentials. An attempt was made to adapt the trilogy in comic book form beginning in the 1980s, by eyenapple productions headed by icarus. Trilogy is a series of three novels by american writers robert shea and robert anton wilson, first published in 1975. Ken campbell, who died in september 2008, was one of the great mavericks of british theatre. Ken campbell check out ken campbell filmography, biography and awards at msn watch online guide. The play was later staged in seattle, washington in 1978. Soundtrack from the audiobook featuring ken campbell and christoph.
And he was very effusive about the influence ken campbell had had on him when he worked on the 1977 production of illuminatus. The guinness book of records listed the latter as the longest play in the. Campbell in 1987 unsuccessfully auditioned for the part of the seventh doctor in doctor who. The times labelled campbell a oneman whirlwind of comic and surreal.
We do not currently hold contact details for ken campbells agent. Robert anton wilson audio books, best sellers, author bio. Im sure there were many meaningful encounters during the day. Author of some 35 books including cosmic trigger, prometheus rising, schrodingers cat trilogy, and coauthor of the illuminatus. Ken campbell 19412008 was a oneman whirlwind who tore through the british theatre establishment using wellrehearsed anarchy and a genius for surreal comedy. Kenneth victor campbell 10 december 1941 31 august 2008 was an english actor, writer. The trilogy comprises the books the eye in the pyramid, the golden apple and. North west arts mounted a oneperson exhibition of his photographs in 1977.
The artistic director of the liverpool everyman and playhouse said, he was the door through which many hundreds of kindred souls entered a madder, braver, brighter, funnier and more complex universe. And whats the wildest thing you can do with bill drummond of the klf on the strange wisdom of theatre maverick ken campbell. Trilogy can be credited with popularizing the genre of conspiracy fiction, a field later mined by authors like umberto eco foucaults pendulum, charles cecil broken sword. Kenneth campbell stott is a scottish stage, television and film actor who won the laurence olivier award for best actor in a supporting role in 1995 in the play broken glass at royal national theatre. Aug 31, 2008 the warp, based on the real life experiences and adventures of author neil oram, is a dizzying trek through the nether reaches of gurudom and tireless postsixties mindexpansion, directed by ken campbell, and opened at londons institute of contemporary arts in january 1979. An attempt was made to adapt the trilogy in comic book form beginning in the 1980s, by eye n apple productions headed by mark philip steele. Citroen car man ken tells james nye of his furtive nudism and adventures in theatre, including the recordbreaking the warp and the legendary illuminatus. But it suddenly occurred to me that i could do cosmic trigger, which is the book wilson wrote about what happened to him almost as a result of the staging of the illuminatus. Steele met with wilson in 1984 and subsequently obtained. He was the son of two store clerks who moved their family to boonah during the great depression. Ive yet to see, say druids on street corners handing out pamphlets on saving the trees. Meet ken campbells daughter whos casting some in liverpool. Comedy comicsunmasked conferences contemporary britain.
Ken campbell and 16 related entities entities finder. Watch alan moore talk about the gesternheutemorgenwelt from. Campbell achieved notoriety in the 1970s for his ninehour adaptation of the sciencefiction trilogy illuminatus. Jan 23, 2014 but i knew i didnt want to do illuminatus. The independent said that, in the 1990s, through a series of sprawling monologues. Mar 08, 2017 he has been called a oneman dynamo of british theatre. Also, to coincide with the books publication, michael coveney will be joined by special guests richard eyre, jim broadbent, john sessions, nina conti and daisy campbell kens daughter, to talk about the maverick comic and his legacy, on friday 8 april 2011 5pm.
Part sequel, part revisit, part homage, part new writing. Some of the comments may be posted in further editions. There will be extras, such as a brand new video interview with comic book magiciananarchist alan moore, discussing all. The final secret of the illuminati has been adapted as a theatrical stage play by daisy eris campbell, daughter of ken campbell the british theatre maverick who staged illuminatus. A videoisation of extracts of the eye in the pyramid, book one of the illuminatus trilogy. Gray has also acted in the role of joe malik in ken campbells epic production of illuminatus, which opened in a warehouse liverpool in 1976 and then moved to the micky theatre, amsterdam, and. Hilaritas press, the publishing company started by illuminatus. Wilson dedicated the book to campbell senior, who had staged wilson and robert sheas scifi trilogy illuminatus. Robert anton wilson audio books, best sellers, author. A ninehour theatrical adaptation was produced by ken campbell. He tore through the british theatre establishment using wellrehearsed anarchy and a. Also i didnt realize that ken campbell had been a lifelong friend. Ken campbell is alive and you are dead english and drama blog.
Starting out in rep at stokeontrent, he founded the. Aug 31, 2008 campbell achieved notoriety in the 1970s for his ninehour adaptation of the sciencefiction trilogy illuminatus. An enthusiastic gathering of raw fans and friends found the others at the museum of art and history in santa cruz on july 23rd, 2017. The trilogy is a satirical, postmodern, science fictioninfluenced adventure story. If your interest in conspiracy theories wasnt sated by reading illuminatus. Trilogy is a series of three novels written by robert shea and robert anton wilson first published in 1975. He tore through the british theatre establishment using wellrehearsed anarchy and a genius for surreal comedy. The information was submitted by our reader lebbie frankel. Daisy campbells version of robert anton wilsons cult book harks. The remarkable force of nature that was ken campbell, who died of a heart attack on 31st august 2008, is celebrated in this excellent and immensely readable biography by michael coveney which is stuffed with remarkable and almost unbelievable antics and anecdotes about this mercurial figure.
I find myself remembering his quips and musings often. If youre interested, download the comic and contact me about it. Trilogy is a series of three novels by american writers robert shea and robert. The first authorised biography of the anarchic comic genius much cherished for his performances on stage and screen. The independent said that, in the 1990s, through a series of sprawling monologues packed with arcane information and freakish speculations on the nature of reality, he became something approaching a grand old man. Description above from the wikipedia article ken campbell, licensed under ccbysa, full list of contributors on wikipedia. Brian taylor to adapt robert anton wilson and robert sheas. If you have a new more reliable information about net worth, earnings, please, fill out the form below. Trilogy, robert anton wilson raw or bob was a futurist, author, lecturer, standup comic, guerrilla ontologist, psychedelic magician, outer head of the illuminati, quantum psychologist, taoist sage, discordian pope, struthian politician. Ken campbell, chris fairbank, robert shea, robert anton wilson, deepleaf.
He has been described as a oneman dynamo of british theatre. But in the early seventies he set up is own theatre group, named after himself, that performed in unusual venues such as pubs. Kenneth victor campbell 10 december 1941 31 august 2008 was an english writer, actor, director and comedian known for his work in experimental theatre. The book was incredibly influential, not just amongst conspiracy theories of the illuminati, but also a ground zero for the likes of alan moore, umberto eco, dave sim, ken campbell, karl koch. Only a couple of days ago, i was recalling one of his comic directorial diatribes as i watched a theatre production. Comedy and theatre pioneer ken campbell is the subject of a new stage production, a decade after her died known as a master improviser and a trailblazer of experimental theatre, campbell became known for his oneman shows that mixed standup, surreal theatre and lecture. It was also the first production by the science fiction theatre of liverpool, the brainchild of theatrical maverick and innovator ken campbell, chris langham and some more actor chums. Dec 11, 2019 the book was incredibly influential, not just amongst conspiracy theories of the illuminati, but also a ground zero for the likes of alan moore, umberto eco, dave sim, ken campbell, karl koch. Long ago and far away i was reading the first book of the illuminatus. Stage shows salute theatre genius of king of comic capers 10 years on from his death irrepressible was the word often used to describe the essexborn performer and writer ken campbell. Fortean times issue 17 august 1976 announced on page 23 that ken campbell honorary member of the isle of wight fortean society had written a cycle of five plays based on the illuminatus.
The unusual end product did not appeal to publishers, and it took several years before anybody agreed to take it on. In the run up to the liverpool happening i was made aware of an event that linked right back to ken campbells 1976 illuminatus. According to ken campbell, who created a stage adaptation of illuminatus. Its a zip file available for download, and may end up at other sites in other formats. Born on 10th december 1941, ken campbell was a writer, actor, director and comedian best known for his work in experimental theatre. In 1976, he and chris langham formed the science fiction theatre of liverpool to stage illuminatus.
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