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Casualty humour in Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall |
The funny side of war
ADOLF HITLER: MY PART IN HIS DOWNFALL
Hampstead Theatre
WAR is no laughing matter, which probably means humour is all the more vital in wartime, good jokes being not just funny but sometimes also powerful diverters from depressing real life.
Spike Milligan’s could be both vulgar and innocent, but what the man who wanted “I told you I was ill” inscribed on his gravestone did best was Irish-inflected sardonicism.
This show is adapted from Milligan’s memoir Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall. The first half sees the Goon Show comic’s regiment marching off to battle in Abyssinia. One soldier, frightened by the explosion of a nearby ordinance, exclaims: “What’s that!”
“That,” Milligan replies, “means a child has been born in Bethlehem.”
The war in the desert apparently involved a lot of sitting around. Cue fart noises, jazz and John Cleese-style silly walks to pass the time.
The sheer volume of silliness makes those rare moments of candid seriousness (and they are extremely rare) all the more powerful, but judging by the general tone of this production, the Second World War was actually a pretty good laugh. Yes, the advisability of painting such a picture is perhaps questionable, yes, this play drags at times, and yes, some of the more dated gags are about as funny as an article comparing different types of insurance policy.
But despite this it is hard not to be charmed by the versatility and energy of the performers, who, as well as acting, sing, dance and play a multitude of instruments with gusto.
This buzz of activity is tiring to watch. One of the characters even complains of being overworked. “Blimey sir,” he says to his sergeant, “have you read the Geneva Convention?”
To which the sergeant replies: “No. I’m waiting for the film to come out.”
In short, while this stage version of Spike’s memoir will certainly exercise your chuckle muscle, don’t expect it to give your grey matter much of a runaround.
Until August 22
020 7722 9301 |
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