Lenny Henry - From Cradle to Rave - A Musical Journey

Synopsis

Lenny Henry has become a crucial influence on the creation of black-centred comedy and characters. Born in Dudley, West Midlands in 1958, he says 'My family came to the UK at a time when blacks were just beginning to be integrated into British society. I was on of just three blacks in our school'. His first television exposure was as a comic on New Faces. He then when on to appear on Tiswas with Chris Tarrant who made a big impression on him. Lenny says: ' It was then that I began to develop my work..I remember going to the Comedy Store and realising that I didn't have to rely on impersonations so much and that I could be funnier by being myself'. Following Tiswas, he appeared on Three of a Kind with Tracey Ullman and David Copperfield. It ran for three years on BBC TV and Lenny's introduction to large television audiences. He has gone on to appear on many different television shows, talking on a range of characters as well as hosting the highly successful The Lenny Henry Show.

Our Review:

18 April 2011

Comedian, Lenny Henry, CBE, is a lovely bloke who made a living out of making us laugh for many years now. From his first cheeky grin to his last cheery wave, Lenny has the audience on the night I attended in the palm of his hand. In his one-man comedy show, Cradle to Rave, he confesses he always longed to sing, addng another string to his bow. 

He was spotted early on after performing Elvis Presley’s "Jailhouse Rock" and went on to win the New Faces talent show with his impersonation of Stevie Wonder. And there is another fork in Lenny’s road - his recent highly acclaimed West End acting performance as Othello. Even then he almost missed a cue when listening to hip hop backstage.

In his usual witty way, he takes you through the story of his life as the child of immigrant parents in Dudley, through boyhood and adolescence and the...

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