Theatre Royal Brighton – until Saturday October 15 2022
Reviewed by Sue Bradley
4****
The writing team of Nick Newman and Ian Hislop first had the idea for this show when they realised that there is a generation of people who are entirely unaware of The Goons and, although perhaps aware of Spike Milligan via his later TV work, they do not know of his pivotal contribution to changing the nature of British comedy.
The comedy revolution that was The Goon Show started in 1953, still very much in he era of Radio as the prime source of entertainment for the public. Although this was now 8 years post-war, Spike could not let go of ‘The War’ as a source of material, with constant lampooning of military characters and behaviour.
The Goons were viewed by the BBC as two ‘Talents’; Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe, and a ‘Writer’; Spike Milligan. If this show did nothing else (and it does do so much more) it helps us to see the visionary contribution that Spike made to what became a national institution. Effectively, no Spike – no Goon Show.
The term ‘Madcap’ often has a slightly derogatory connotation but in Spike’s case, it is entirely appropriate. His time as a soldier during the Second World War left him with what we would now recognise as PTSD and his experiences with the horrors of war and the ‘Officer’ classes left him with a fundamental disregard for authority and, indeed, organisation of any kind. Newman and Hislop have walked a fine line to allow us to see something of Spike’s mental health challenges without making it a show about a miserable funny man. This is a very funny show about a man who struggled not to be miserable.
If there is a stillness around which the storm of Spike whirls, it is Robert Mountfords’ Head of Comedy; an exasperated and exasperating character who couldn’t stand The Goons nor could he understand this new style of comedy. Robert Wilfort as Spike is engagingly eccentric with strong support from Jeremy Lloyd as Harry Secombe and Patrick Warner as Peter Sellers. Special mention too to Margaret Cabourn-Smith, playing the Sound Effects technician who opens both halves of the the show with entertaining demonstrations of the creation of various sound effects, which were an important part of the show.
Fast-paced and ever-changing, the show gives something of the sense of barely controlled chaos that underpins Spike’s work and relationships with those that worked, lived with and loved him. Even in the darker moments when we see something of Spike’s internal troubles, the laughs are never far away and we need never feel guilty about laughing along with him.
The deceptively simple set provided a constantly changing backdrop with full use of the stage – there are no centre stage soliloquies and the story keeps on moving.
One note of caution: Spike was very fond of explosions – it was almost a signature sound effect to close many many Goon Show episodes so it should come as no surprise that this production makes liberal use of them along with sudden black-outs and flashing lights. There is nothing gratuitous about this but those of a very nervous disposition might do well to be aware. But please do not deny yourself this very funny show! We loved it.