|
|
 |
| |
Pick of the Indies
Funnyman Ben picks up top BBC comedy prize
HOORAY FOR HOLLOWAY
Directed by Ben Robinson
Certificate N/A
A FILM MAKER from Parliament Hill Fields whose comedy film stars people from Kentish Town has won a prestigious BBC comedy award.
Ben Robinson’s ‘Hooray For Holloway’ – a spoof about the incompetent attempt of Holloway loner Brian John Jidd as he tries and fails to shoot a tourist video to promote the area – beat more than 600 other entries to snatch BBC3’s Funny Hunt.
The Beeb singled out a chapter called The Eczema MCs – featuring local lads Pete Connell (pictured) and Louis Sanchez – for special mention.
It’s a report on Holloway-based Grime rappers who all suffer from the itchy skin condition, and rap about their medical problem in their lyrics. Ben, who went to William Ellis School and lives on Highgate West Hill, said it was great fun to make.
He said: “Very few of the Eczema crew had ever acted before, but all rose to the occasion brilliantly with so much natural ability and charm – and were helped with couple of crates of Stella Artois.”
And as part of Ben’s prize, he spent the day at the BBC’s Comedy North HQ in Manchester, meeting the commissioning editors and leading writers of BBC Comedy, including Jeremy Dyson (League of Gentlemen), Susan Nickson (Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps) and Daniel Peake (I’m with Stupid). Jeremy Dyson gave a two-hour intensive masterclass in comedy writing and watched the winning entries.
Ben said: “I was a little bit worried about offending eczema sufferers, but several members of the Eczema MCs – including the star of the film, Peter Connell – actually have eczema, and they weren’t concerned at all”.
Following the win, Ben has been asked to submit comedy ideas and sketches for a new BBC3 sketch show aimed at 18-21 year olds called Generation X.
Among the characters he has created includes a sketch called the Cake Club, which follows a group of hardened ex-youth offenders taking part in an innovative, government-funded cake-making rehabilitation scheme.”
And he is still making films based in and around the area he grew up in.
Ben said: “Our next production will be a science fiction musical, set on the mean streets surrounding Parliament Hill Fields. I would really like to recruit some local comedy talent, such as Roger Lloyd Pack, Liz Smith, Sylvester McCoy and Ram John Holder.”
|
 |
| |
|
|
|
