What's Wrong With Benny Hill? review – a vivid reminder of what millions once found hilarious

[Frisky Chess in Toyland]

Benny Hill's Comedy Conundrum: A Mixed Bag of Laughter and Legacy

A new play about Benny Hill has finally shed light on why this beloved comedian is now largely forgotten by younger generations. Mark Carey's 100-minute production flashes back to Hill's life, exploring his most formative moments, including his relationships with family members like "the Captain", who peddled rubber johnnies, and the cafes he frequented in France. Georgie Taylor shines as various characters, including a narrator role that bookends the play.

However, it becomes clear that Carey's play doesn't delve particularly deeply into Hill's life. The show's reliance on online voices debating his legacy comes across as shallow. In its closing moments, the production seems to concede that Hill's comedy, which often objectified women and relied on racist stereotypes, is no longer funny or acceptable today.

The play does attempt to contextualize Hill's work within a broader history of comedic styles that have since fallen out of favor. However, it doesn't do enough to make a strong case for Hill's defense. Instead, the show defaults to platitudes about jokes being either funny or not funny, and how allegations of "PC gone mad" can be used to dismiss criticisms of Hill's material.

What the play does offer is a vivid reminder of what millions once found hilarious about Benny Hill's comedy. Mark Carey brings his own charisma to the role, capturing Hill's elusive nature behind his winking smile and quick quips. However, this endearing performance comes at the cost of exploring more substantial themes about Hill's legacy and how we can reconcile our past love of his comedy with the problematic elements that have made it so hurtful today.

 

[Bright Bison]

I was a bit meh about this play to be honest, I mean, I get what they're trying to do - shed light on why Benny Hill's comedy isn't funny anymore . But at the same time, felt like they didn't really go deep enough into his legacy and how we can reevaluate our love of his work without ignoring its problematic parts .

It's like they're just saying "oh, jokes are either funny or not" and that doesn't really help with nuance . I mean, come on, comedy is about more than just a joke being funny or not! The production did do a good job of capturing Mark Carey's charisma as Benny Hill though , but it felt like they missed an opportunity to really make a strong case for Hill's defense .

What I think would've been cool was if they explored how comedy has evolved and changed over time . Like, how we're now more aware of our biases and stereotypes, but that doesn't mean our past jokes are automatically excusable . Anyways, it was an okay play to watch, not gonna lie

 

[Preschool D]

I just watched this play about Benny Hill and I gotta say, it's a mixed bag . On one hand, Mark Carey shines as Hill, and you can totally see why he was a big deal back in the day . But on the other hand, I felt like the play didn't really dig deep enough into his legacy, ya know? It just kinda glosses over all the problematic stuff that's still hurtful today . And don't even get me started on how it handled allegations of racism and sexism - it was pretty weak sauce . Still, I gotta give props to Georgie Taylor for playing all those different characters - she was a total scene-stealer!

 

[Mystery Ma]

I dunno if I'd say I'm totally sold on this play . I mean, Benny Hill was a big deal back in the day, but I'm not convinced that revisiting his legacy is gonna bring anything new or interesting to the table. The show's all about debating whether he's still funny or not, and honestly, it feels like they're just dodging the real questions . Like, yeah, we get it, some of his jokes were problematic, but can't we have a more nuanced conversation about that? Instead, it's all platitudes about "PC gone mad" and stuff like that . The only thing I did enjoy was Mark Carey's performance – he's pretty charismatic and does a great job capturing Hill's... whatever, you know . But overall, I'm still not convinced this play is gonna change the game .

 

[Miniat]

omg I'm so curious to see this play! Benny Hill is def a part of my dad's childhood, he always talks about watching him on TV when he was younger I'm excited to learn more about his life and the controversy surrounding his comedy It's cool that the play acknowledges the problematic elements of his work, but I wish it went deeper into exploring how we can move forward from there

 

[WWII]

I'm still tryna wrap my head around this Benny Hill play thing... It's like, I get what they're trying to do - shed light on why he's not as cool with the younger crowd anymore - but it feels kinda half-baked, ya know? They gotta acknowledge the problematic stuff, but then just kinda... gloss over it. Like, I'm all for context and everything, but it feels like they're not really giving Hill a fair shake. The show's got some fun moments, don't get me wrong - Georgie Taylor's narration is actually pretty solid - but overall, it just doesn't feel like a fully fleshed-out exploration of Hill's legacy... yet? Maybe I'm just too invested in the whole thing now

 

[Bat]

I mean, I went to see this play and I gotta say, it was kinda like watching a highlight reel of Benny Hill's most iconic sketches... but not really giving you any depth on why they're still funny or relevant . Like, I get that the show wants to acknowledge the problematic parts of his comedy, but it feels like Mark Carey is just phoning it in and relying on online memes to make a point . The cast is talented, don't get me wrong, especially Georgie Taylor who plays all these different characters... but it felt like they were just going through the motions, you know?

 

[Uninte]

I totally get why Benny Hill's comedy isn't funny anymore . I mean, who would want to make fun of women or use racist stereotypes? It's like, we've come a long way since then and we should be celebrating our progress not looking back at stuff that was hurtful. The play tries to do that but it feels like it's just scratching the surface. I wish they had dug deeper into how we can move forward without forgetting where we came from . Still, Benny Hill's charisma is infectious and Mark Carey does a great job of bringing him to life .

 

[Spirit of]

I feel like I'm watching a train wreck in slow motion - you know, you don't wanna look, but you can't help checking out all the juicy details. This play about Benny Hill's life is like a box of chocolates: some parts are sweet and funny, while others are bitter and cringeworthy . I love that Georgie Taylor shines as different characters, especially the narrator - she's got some serious chops! But, omg, I'm so frustrated that the play doesn't dig deeper into Hill's legacy and the problematic stuff he used to make fun of women and marginalized groups . It's like they're trying to give him a get-out-of-jail-free card just because comedy styles changed over time . Can we please, please talk about this more?

 

[Perfect Plo]

omg u no i went 2 see dis play abt benny hill last wkend n i got mixed feelings lol...on one hand, georgie taylor is like super talented n brought life 2 all her characters , but on the other hand, i feel like the playwright didnt do enough 2 tackle da real issues w/ benny's legacy. it just feels like a shallow exploration of his life & career instead of actually examining why he's no longer funny 2 most ppl ...at da same time, it was still super entertaining 2 watch n i loved how mark carey brought his own energy 2 the role

 

[Imperial Wizard G]

omg i just saw the trailer for this new play about benny hill and i'm SO down but like, i'm also kinda disappointed that its not gonna be a more in-depth look at his life and legacy...i mean, we need to acknowledge those problematic jokes he used to make and how they affected people that being said tho, georgie taylor is looking AMAZING as all the different characters and mark carey's charisma is EVERYTHING

 

[Good]

I just saw this play about Benny Hill and I gotta say... it's a mixed bag . On one hand, Georgie Taylor shines as all the different characters and brings a lot of energy to the stage . But at the same time, I felt like the play didn't really dig deep enough into Hill's life and legacy . It's like it just scratches the surface and then moves on to some pretty shallow stuff .

I mean, I get what they're trying to do - show that people back in the day thought his comedy was funny, but at the same time, we gotta acknowledge that some of that stuff is no longer okay today . But it felt like the play was just kinda... phoning it in . Like, yeah, jokes are either funny or they're not, and if you don't like something, you can just call it "PC gone mad" .

Anyway, I do have to give props to Mark Carey for his performance - he's got a lot of charisma on stage ! But overall, I felt like this play was missing some substance . Maybe next time they'll go back and try to tackle some more serious themes?

 

[Ultimat]

I just watched this new play about Benny Hill and I'm still trying to process my feelings . On one hand, I loved seeing Georgie Taylor bring those characters to life - she's got some serious talent! But on the other hand, I felt like the play was missing a lot of depth . It just glossed over all the problematic stuff about Hill's comedy and instead stuck to what "we" love about him today. I get that we don't want to alienate our nostalgic fans, but can't we have a more nuanced conversation about legacy and how it affects marginalized groups? This play felt like it was just trying to appease everyone without taking a real stand . Still, I'll give Mark Carey credit for capturing Hill's charisma - he's definitely got the charm . Maybe they can do a follow-up production that really digs into those tougher themes?

 

[Relieved Rhinoceros]

I think the play is trying to tackle a big issue but ends up being kinda meh . Benny Hill's comedy was definitely a product of its time, but that doesn't excuse the problematic stuff in his act . The play tries to say it's about legacy and how we can appreciate our past love for him without ignoring the hurt he caused , but I feel like it could've gone deeper into exploring that . Still, it's a good reminder of what made Benny Hill so famous , even if his comedy isn't exactly laugh-out-loud funny anymore .

 

[Wear]

I'm still reeling from the latest news about climate change... I mean, Benny Hill's play is just a reflection of how out of touch we've become with our comedy values. The production tries to gloss over Hill's problematic past but ultimately falls flat because it can't make a strong case for his legacy. It's like they're trying to gaslight us into thinking his old-school humor is still funny , meanwhile the planet is literally burning. At least Mark Carey's charisma brings some life to the play... but honestly, it feels like just a shallow attempt to revive something that should be left in the past

 

[Wrong]

I think the play is kinda cool but also really disappointing? I mean, on one hand, I loved seeing Georgie Taylor bring all those different characters to life - she's a total talent! But at the same time, I feel like the play glosses over some pretty big issues with Hill's legacy... like, how can we just dismiss allegations of racism and sexism that are still valid today? I get that the show tries to make a case for Hill's comedy being part of history, but it feels kinda half-baked? And I'm all for acknowledging that people have changed over time, but can't we do better than just saying "oh well, jokes are funny or not"?

 

[Street Bomb Rebellion]

I'm still not sure if a play is the best way to tackle Benny Hill's legacy, ya know? It feels like it's just scratching the surface of what really needs to be talked about. I mean, the stuff he was making jokes about back in the day would be considered super problematic by today's standards and it's not exactly a stretch to say that his comedy relied on women being objectified and marginalized.

I think it'd be cool if the play went a bit deeper into exploring how we can reconcile our love of his comedy with the hurtful things he said. Like, we all have a funny side, right? But does that mean we get to ignore or downplay the parts that are really hurtful?

It's like, I get what Mark Carey is trying to do – shine a light on Benny Hill's life and legacy – but sometimes I feel like it's just too easy. Like, 'oh, his jokes were funny back then, but now they're not.' It's not that simple. We need to be having real conversations about why certain types of comedy are problematic and how we can use them as a starting point for something better.

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that it's an okay start, but maybe next time it can go a bit deeper into the meat of the issue?

 

[Arr]

I'm a bit disappointed with this new play about Benny Hill . I mean, I love his classic comedies from back in the day , but come on, let's not sugarcoat the truth. The guy was known for objectifying women and relying on outdated stereotypes... it's just not funny anymore . I wish the play would've dug deeper into his legacy and explored ways to reconcile our nostalgia with the hurtful aspects of his comedy. Instead, it feels like they're just glossing over it and saying "oh, jokes are subjective" . It's not that hard to acknowledge the problematic parts of our past favorite comedians and try to move forward...