Rare Live Recording Found, from Rik & Ben’s 1986 Tour of Australia

April and May of 1986 saw Rik Mayall and Ben Elton tour Australia with their show called ‘A Night of Stand Up Comedy’. Their support act booked for this tour was an all girl group called The Jam Tarts, and part of that group was bass player Sophie Gare (which was how Ben met his future wife).

Rik, Ben and the Jam Tarts

Photos taken by Karen Freedman

Their last performance of the tour took place at the Leederville Hotel, Perth on 17th May.

Sat in the audience there that night, quite close to the front, was a dedicated fan, so dedicated she sneakily hid a tape recorder inside her handbag and recorded the whole show!

Exciting for us, this recording has recently been found, thanks to Jeffers in Australia, from the amazingly detailed Filthy Rich and Catflap podcast, Podcasto Catflappo, who has carefully digitised and improved the audio quality. Be sure to listen to the special bonus episode from him, out now.

We contacted the Mayall family about this amazing discovery and with their blessing, we are now delighted to be able to share it with you all to enjoy.

It is an amazing discovery and a wonderful snapshot of Rik’s live stand up performances. Which as far as I know, not many recordings exist of his tour stuff. So it’s thanks to the fans who secretly recorded them, that there is much at all.

Has this brought back memories? Did you secretly record a gig? Maybe you still have it, perhaps it’s in your loft somewhere?

Please get in touch.

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Countdown

Whilst in Australia, Rik and Ben appeared on the music show Countdown and also presented an award at their annual music and video awards evening. Rik makes reference to this in his set.

Interviews

Here’s also some interviews and unedited footage they did promoting the tour.

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Karen’s Memory

Karen Freedman was a young fan in 1986, she saw them on tour at the Melbourne shows. She got to meet Rik and Ben, here’s some amazing photos she took and a great memory from her:

“It was 1986, and Rik Mayall was touring Australia, doing theatres with Ben Elton, up and down the country.

My sister and I went to every Melbourne show. By the final night, we had learnt all the gags. I managed to convince a friend that it would be fun to shout out the punchline to one.

So she yelled out “Thatcher!!” at the top of her lungs.

Rik, without missing a beat, retorted, “Does it say on the poster outside, appearing tonight, Rik Mayall, Ben Elton, The Jam Tarts, AND SOME FUCKING CUNT WHO’S ALREADY SEEN THE SHOW???!!!”

It was very funny, We never told Rik (who was the most darling man) it was us though…

One of Karen’s most loved and treasured autographs

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Did you see them on this tour? Get in touch with your memories, I’d love to hear from you.

“Wacky, Zany, Crazy, Anarchic, Establishment-Shattering, Mind-Numbing, Bum-Biting, Bed-Wettingly Brilliant.”

Rik Mayall and Ben Elton

An Evening of Stand Up Comedy, 19th April – 17th May 1986

Big thank you to trashdiscoradio on Instagram who has found the Melbourne version ad for this tour. They were also lucky enough to see the show at The Athenaeum Theatre in 1986.

Rik Mayall and Ben Elton ‘An Evening of Stand Up Comedy’ 1986

• 19th April 1986 – Princess Theatre, Melbourne
• 20th April 1986 – Countdown Awards, Melbourne – Rik & Ben present an award
• 21st April 1986 – Sports Centre, Melbourne
• 23rd April 1986 – Canberra Theatre, Canberra
• 24th April 1986 – The Batton Theatre, Adelaide
• 25th April 1986 – Ocean Groove Hotel, Ocean Groove
• 26th April – 2nd May 1986 – Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne
• 3rd -5th May 1986 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
• 6th May 1986 – Port Kembla
• 7th May 1986 – Castle Hill
• 8th – 10th May 1986 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
• 11th May 1986 – Arts Factory, Byron Bay
• 12th May 1986 – Festival Hall, Brisbane
• 13th -17th May 1986 – Leederville Hotel, Perth

Please let me know if you think I have got any of these dates and places wrong or have any souvenirs from the tour too.

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