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PIGSPURT
"The only time I feel like dusting down the term 'genius', in the pure sense of an influential demonic character, is when I'm confronted by a great Ken Campbell show." (Michael Coveney, Observer) "Campbell is conducting us on a guided tour of the wilder shores of his own imagination. The stories pour out of him...Things become curiouser and curiouser as Campbell explains his theory of enantiodromia and relates the terrible adventures of his other self, Pigspurt, adventures too dangerous and depraved to be described in a family newspaper. Suffice it to say that this nasal infestation indulges in "carnal nosilage" and "cunnisneezus"...Campbell is an inspired original who reaches the parts other entertainers haven't even heard of." (Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph)"Demonstrates Ken Campbell's talent for capturing a comic moment and blowing it up into a great balloon of idiotic fantasy" (Jane Ellison, Evening Standard)
112 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 1994
6 people want to read
About the author
Ken Campbell
71 books3 followersEnglish actor, director and writer, known for his work in experimental theatre.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 31, 2024
Even though it would have been fantastic to have heard him do this live, and it would be marvellous to see this with the traditional totems, PIGSPURT is both powerful and moving, and laugh-out-loud funny. If anything, Ken Dodd is funnier when translated into pidgin.
I don't think a summary of the story would create a spoiler, or indeed would make any rational sense but here we go....
Ken has a friend whose alienated father wears a bowler hat. He dies.
Ken is aware that there are two sides to a face, and these are two sides to our personality: his are Sophie Fireborn and the Spanking Squire Pigspurt. (Mine are Dr Mills and Pluto - the dog not the God of the underworld)
Ken's nose looks like a naked woman's bottom: he reckons if, Cinderella like, he can find the arse that fits his nose, he will achieve eternal love: he never finds her, but does have some interesting consenting nose-arse sex with a number of women.
He sends a colleague off on a journey to see every show Ken Dodd performs in a year: for some reason he ends up in the Solomon islands, and becomes a local celebrity performing one Doddy joke, but translated into pidgin: What a lovely day for sticking a cucumber through the vicar's letterbox and shouting "The Martians are coming!". He is transported round the Solomon Islands repeating this joke to every islander, who are hysterical with laughter on hearing it.
Ken discovers that, when he repeats this joke while dressed as Sophie in full drag, he can do spiritual healing.
Having read a lot of late Philip K Dick, he has an encounter with God, who turns out to be his friend's bowler-hatter dead dad.
This is a story for people who think reality is a bit limiting. Ken Campbell doesn't believe in that limit. Living in Pigspurt must be exhausting, but I can't imagine you'd ever have a dull day.
I don't think a summary of the story would create a spoiler, or indeed would make any rational sense but here we go....
Ken has a friend whose alienated father wears a bowler hat. He dies.
Ken is aware that there are two sides to a face, and these are two sides to our personality: his are Sophie Fireborn and the Spanking Squire Pigspurt. (Mine are Dr Mills and Pluto - the dog not the God of the underworld)
Ken's nose looks like a naked woman's bottom: he reckons if, Cinderella like, he can find the arse that fits his nose, he will achieve eternal love: he never finds her, but does have some interesting consenting nose-arse sex with a number of women.
He sends a colleague off on a journey to see every show Ken Dodd performs in a year: for some reason he ends up in the Solomon islands, and becomes a local celebrity performing one Doddy joke, but translated into pidgin: What a lovely day for sticking a cucumber through the vicar's letterbox and shouting "The Martians are coming!". He is transported round the Solomon Islands repeating this joke to every islander, who are hysterical with laughter on hearing it.
Ken discovers that, when he repeats this joke while dressed as Sophie in full drag, he can do spiritual healing.
Having read a lot of late Philip K Dick, he has an encounter with God, who turns out to be his friend's bowler-hatter dead dad.
This is a story for people who think reality is a bit limiting. Ken Campbell doesn't believe in that limit. Living in Pigspurt must be exhausting, but I can't imagine you'd ever have a dull day.
Displaying 1 of 1 review