Spike Milligan was a comic genius who inspired a generation of new innovative comedy sketch shows with his manic zany brand of comedy. He found fame in the writing and starring in over 250 episodes of the Goon Show on BBC Radio between 1951 and 1960. I first encountered his style of humour when I read his hilarious 1971 autobiographical publication of Adolf Hitler: my part on his downfall and later in his unique series of TV sketches shows Q5 to Q9 between 1975 and 1980 but my lasting memory will be seeing him on stage in 1982 at the Lyric Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue.
This new affectionate play by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman seeks to explore what made Spike the man he was through his war time experiences, his relationship with his co-stars and his first wife June and the constant battle with the BBC Hierarchy at a loss to understand the appeal his writing had with the listeners. Those who remember him and his humour will enjoy this fast-paced exploration of the period when he was writing the first 150 episodes of the Goon show which tries to capture the essence of all three of the main stars without it seems attempting full impressions of them. It is produced in the style of his shows, full of energy, amusing sound effects and sudden changes of location.
