Spike, the comedy by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman, will be touring the UK from 6 September; they’ve said, “It’s a privilege to take ‘Spike’ on tour, exploring the genius of Britain’s most inspirational and ground-breaking comedian. And of course, it’s another chance to steal all his jokes and pass them off as our own. Spike Milligan may be Goon, but he’s not forgotten.”
Robert Wilfort will take over the role of Spike Milligan, Patrick Warner will also join the production to play Peter Sellers, and Jeremy Lloyd will return to his critically acclaimed role as Harry Secombe. TV comedienne and podcaster Margaret Cabourn-Smith will reprise her role as Janet, as will James Mack as Denis Main-Wilson / Peter Eton, Ellie Morris as June, and Robert Mountford as BBC Executive. Peter Dukes will join the company as BBC Announcer, as will Tesni Kujore as Myra, and Sam Ducane as Doctor.
Opening at the Cheltenham Everyman, Spike will be directed by Watermill Artistic Director Paul Hart, with design by Katie Lias, and lighting design by Rory Beaton. The Composer is Tayo Akinbode with sound design by Tom Marshall. Anjali Mehra is Movement Director and Ruth Sullivan is the Foley Sound Consultant.
“I’m not acting crazy. I’m the genuine article.”
It’s 1950s austerity Britain, and out of the gloom comes Goon mania as men, women and children across the country scramble to get their ear to a wireless for another instalment of The Goon Show. While Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers get down to the serious business of becoming overnight celebrities, fellow Goon and chief writer Spike finds himself pushing the boundaries of comedy, and testing the patience of the BBC.
Flanked by his fellow Goons and bolstered by the efforts of irrepressible sound assistant Janet, Spike takes a flourishing nosedive off the cliffs of respectability, and mashes up his haunted past to create the comedy of the future. His war with Hitler may be over, but his war with Auntie Beeb – and ultimately himself – has just begun. Will Spike’s dogged obsession with finding the funny elevate The Goons to soaring new heights, or will the whole thing come crashing down with the stroke of a potato peeler?
Book now at these Theatre Tokens venues:
6 – 10 September 2022
Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford (Book online with Theatre Tokens)
20 – 24 September 2022
27 September – 1 October 2022
4 – 8 October 2022
11 – 15 October 2022
18 – 22 October 2022
25 – 29 October 2022
1 – 5 November 2022
8 – 12 November 2022
15 – 19 November 2022
22 – 26 November 2022