Book and Lyrics

Ben Elton has without doubt established himself as the leading figure in the generation of British comedy stars, which emerged in the 1980’s. He first achieved prominence when at the age of 23 he co-wrote the ground breaking smash hit BBC situation comedy THE YOUNG ONES. This multi award-winning show became a world-wide cult and the 1984 book of the series was the biggest seller in Britain that year. Ben went on to write for all the principal comedians of his generation, including Lenny Henry, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson and Harry Enfield with hit series such as HAPPY FAMILIES, FILTHY RICH and CATFLAP. In 1985 Ben began his phenomenally successful writing partnership with Richard Curtis. Together they wrote BLACKADDER 2, BLACKADDER THE THIRD and BLACKADDER GOES FORTH, shows which were showered with awards, including four BAFTAs and an EMMY and achieved vast audiences all over the world. Ben and Richard also wrote Rowan’s 1986 hit stage show THE NEW REVIEW. In 1995, Ben wrote and produced THE THIN BLUE LINE, which again starred Rowan Atkinson. It achieved record audience figures for a new sitcom and went onto win the British Comedy Award for the Best New Comedy Series, also picking up both the Public and Professional Jury Awards at Riems. In 1988 Ben published his first novel, STARK. Written in Australia, STARK became an instant number one best seller and has gone on to sell well over a million copies. Two more novels followed, GRIDLOCK in 1991 and THIS OTHER EDEN in 1993. Both books also went straight to number one and are well on the way to equalling the phenomenal international sales figures of STARK. 1996 saw the publication of Ben’s fourth novel, POPCORN, which went straight to the number one spot in the best seller’s list and remained in the Top 20 for a further six months. The Crime Writers Association of Great Britain awarded Ben the Gold Dagger Award for Fiction in November 1996 and POPCORN was nominated as Book of the Year by the Booksellers Association. His novel BLAST FROM THE PAST was released in September 1998 and his latest one INCONCEIVABLE was released in October last year. Ben’s ambitions were originally theatrical, he studied Drama at Manchester University and, in 1990 he returned to the theatre with his first stage play, GASPING which ran for nine and a half months at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket in the West End. This huge success was followed immediately by Ben’s second play, SILLY COW which kept the Haymarket Theatre full for a further eight months. The stage play of his novel, POPCORN, successfully premiered at the Nottingham Playhouse before transferring to the West Yorkshire Playhouse. POPCORN opened to rave reviews at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London in April 1997. Having won the TMA Barclays Theatre Award for Best New Play in 1997, POPCORN has since won the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. POPCORN toured nationally from September 1998 closing in May 1999. BLAST FROM THE PAST successfully premiered at the West Yorkshire playhouse in March 1998. In 1992 Ben began his acting career, starring in his own adaptation of his novel, STARK. This was co-produced by ABC and filmed entirely in Australia. It was directed by Nadia Tass. Also that year Ben appeared alongside Michael Keaton as Verges in Kenneth Branagh’s acclaimed feature film, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. In 1999 Ben directed his first feature film, MAYBE BABY, the screenplay being based on his novel INCONCEIVABLE. Despite his many successes as a writer, it is as a stand-up comedian that Ben is best known. Starting at the London Comedy Store in 1981, he got his big break in 1986 when he began to host Channel Four’s cult hit SATURDAY LIVE. Ben of course writes all his own routines and has become one of the very biggest live acts in Britain. His 1994 UK tour lasted 112 dates during which Ben played to over a quarter of a million people while his second television series of THE MAN FROM AUNTIE achieved a regular audience of seven million viewers. Through April and May of last year THE BEN ELTON SHOW was broadcast on BBC1 and received excellent viewer ratings. Ben’s latest UK tour began in November 1996 and finished 80 dates later at the end of March 1997. His tour of Australia and New Zealand started in Auckland at the end of April 1997 and was a complete sell out. Ben also hosted the BRIT AWARDS on 24 February 1997 and was asked back to present them the following year on 9 February 1998. His latest video, BEN ELTON LIVE 1997, was released by Ovation Entertainment and BEN ELTON LIVE is also available on audio book format from Penguin Audio books.

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