Rik Mayall festival pays tribute to 'unique' talent

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Gavin Kermack

BBC News, West Midlands

Phil Mackie

BBC Midlands Today

Steve Rapport/Getty Images Rik Mayall, a clean-shaven man with dark hair, looks at the camera, glaring at the camera in a light-hearted way. His hand is raised and hangs limp by the side of his face.

For an entire generation growing up the 1980s and 1990s, Rik Mayall was one of the most familiar - and fascinating - faces on television.

And now, 11 years after his death at the age of 56, his legacy is being celebrated with the first comedy festival in his memory, in his hometown of Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire.

Mayall's friend and frequent collaborator - and festival patron - Ben Elton said it was only right that his contribution to comedy was being honoured.

"What Rik did was so exuberantly, fabulously, gleefully huge, that in the right moment, it was probably about as funny as it's possible to be," he told the BBC.

A still from sitcom The Young Ones, showing Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson, Nigel Planer and Christopher Ryan.

Elton first met Mayall at the University of Manchester, before they went on to collaborate on The Young Ones, Blackadder, and Filthy Rich and Catflap.

"Rik had an essential star quality which was kind of unique", said Elton. "I've been fortunate enough to work with some great talent.

"None have had the quality Rik had."

The comedian Ben Elton, a man with short grey hair and glasses, wearing a dark blue polo shirt, looks at something behind the camera.

The Rik Mayall Comedy Festival, which begins on Saturday and runs for eight days, will see stand-up from well-known figures such as Greg Davies, Helen Lederer and Shaparak Khorsandi as well as less-established comedians, alongside music, magic and spoken word events.

Its epicentre will be the town's Norbury Theatre, where Mayall first performed as a child in a production of Waiting for Godot.

"Everyone in the town is so pleased with what we're doing," said festival director Stuart Panrucker.

"I think it's really given everyone a sense of ownership of Rik and... [the chance to] say he's one of ours and give us something to be proud of."

Mayall Family An old photograph of wo young men standing in a room. On on the left, a young Ade Edmondson has light brown or blonde hair and glasses and is resting his elbow on a sideboard. He is wearing a shirt underneath a red v-neck sweater. On the right, a young Rik Mayall has darker hair and is wearing a dark sweater with a tartan scarf. They are smiling at the camera.

Mayall went on to star in the political satire The New Statesman, as the Thatcherite MP Alan B'stard, and as perennial loser Richard Richard in Bottom, which he created and wrote with another university friend, Ade Edmondson.

Many are still repeated on television to this day.

A still from the sitcom Blackadder Goes Forth, showing Hugh Laurie, Tony Robinson, Rik Mayall and Rowan Atkinson. Mayall has blonde hair and a blonde moustache and is wearing a brown leather jacket over a military coat. He is holding a pistol.

"I think Rik's comedy is timeless," said producer and writer John Lloyd, who worked on Blackadder. "It's unique - there's nobody I can think of who's even close to being like him.

"Everything Rik did was so full of charisma. It was like magic.

"There was an aura about him."

A promotional still for the sitcom Bottom, showing Rik Mayll with long, thinning, greasy hair, smiling effetely at the camera. He is standing next to Ade Edmondson, who is wearing glasses and a pork pie hat and glaring at the camera.

The festival will give Mayall's prolific output the chance to find a new legion of fans, added Elton.

"Obviously lots of people don't need alerting to his brilliance, but they can be reminded," he said. "And perhaps some new people can discover it."

Mayall Family A black-and-white photo of a boy with brown hair, brushed forward over his forehead. He is wearing a shirt and tie under a dark v-neck jumper. He is standing next to a younger girl with blonde hair, wearing a shirt and tie under a sleeveless top. They are standing in front of shelves displaying children's books.

In a statement, Mayall's family lent their support to the event.

"We are really touched that Droitwich Spa has chosen to honour Rik with a comedy festival," they said. "His mum and dad would have been so proud and especially pleased that the Norbury Theatre features prominently.

"Spending a week laughing is the perfect way to remember Rik."

The Rik Mayall Comedy Festival runs in Droitwich Spa between 31 May and 7June.

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