Darlington Hippodrome – until Saturday 22 October 2022
5*****
Spike by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman is the rare gem of a show. Clearly the best play that I have ever seen and now my benchmark to measure all other plays against.
Spike tells us the story of Spike Milligan. The creator of The Goon Show, the major influence of most comedians since and quite frankly a genius. Switching the story between the writing and recording of The Goon Show, his time in the war and the problems in his personal life. To me, it seemed that Spike was always fighting a war – with the men in suits at the BBC, against Hitler and with his mental health as he faced up to injuries he sustained under fire and his constant need to be funny.
The BBC bosses hated The Goon Show but the listening public, the critics and even the Royal Family loved it. They changed the schedule times, tried to control Spike with edits and Directors but Spike continued to write and perform leading to a nervous breakdown.
Robert Wilfort shines in the titular role, embodying the subversive, anarchic comic talent. With his co-stars, Harry Secombe (Jeremy Lloyd) and Peter Sellers (Patrick Warner), and Janet from the Sound Department (Margaret Cabourn-Smith) clearly having a ball while recording The Goons. Lloyd captures Secombe’s happy and joyful persona, taking the mickey out of himself and his singing. Warner is adept with his voices and impressions and womanising ways. And a special mention must go to Cabourn-Smith, who almost steals every scene she is and to Ellie Morris, who plays Spike’s put-upon wife June.
Hislop and Newman have created a genius show about a genius man and all I can do is urge you all to go and see, what for me, is the best play ever