Review - The Kenneth Williams Diaries.

"Do you have to be doing those Carry Ons, couldn't you get into something better?"
Joan Sims' mum.

I've read the diaries three times now, and each time they leave me feeling sad. Kenneth Williams was something of a loner (which is of course well documented). He also loved being the centre of attention which presented something of a dichotomy for him. In the book we learn he was a hygiene freak, a prolific writer, a perfectionist, he liked a drink, he loved his mum, he was in turn polite and vitriolic to fans, he could be a wonderful friend , he craved peace and quiet, he was a snob, he was rude, he was funny, he was miserable - he was real!
From my readings of his diaries I've always taken away a dark feeling. He contemplated suicide often and had his stash of painkillers and various drugs for the execution of this. He was very unlucky in love and was afraid of sharing his ordered life with anyone. His sex life was plagued with problems. On the occasions he did 'indulge' in some jiggery pokery he always seemed to 'catch' something from his partner. He felt as if God didn't want him to have a sex life at all. He had a masochistic streak which is only just touched upon in the diaries. The diaries are heavily edited which is evident when comparing the back cover of the book (which has an example of a diary entry in his own hand) with the entry for the same day. Even with the editing we are still given quite a detailed insight into the mind of this sometimes deeply troubled man.
The diaries fiercely conflict with the public image we have of Kenneth Williams and I like him all the more for that.