Review: Garry Starr: Classic Penguins (The Other Palace)
Review by Daz Gale
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Everyone has heard of peer pressure, but did you know there's a theatre equivalent? Theere pressure, if you will. That is the kind of peer pressure when people you know in theatre insist on you seeing a show, as was the case with Garry Starr: Classic Penguins. After missing its initial West End press night last year, multiple people told me in no uncertain terms I HAD to see it. Consider a combination of stubbornness, a desire to always do the opposite of what I'm told and being busy that took me this long to get around to it, but when it was announced it was returning to London, I knew I had to make time for it. After so much hype and acclaim from others, I went in with impossibly high expectations. How could it ever live up to it?
So what exactly is Classic Penguins? It is hard to describe and certainly best to experience yourself without being spoiled, with Garry Starr admitting himself that it is “not a dramaturgically heavy show”. Essentially, over little more than an hour, it sees Garry Starr visit the world of literature, bringing to life some of the most timeless stories ever put to paper in strange and unexpected ways. His library of Penguin Classics includes books such as Frankenstein and The Great Escape, with many more sitting on a shelf (initially), all getting their moment in the sun.
Still have no idea? Well, neither did I and perhaps that’s for the best. One thing to also mention is that Starr performs the entire show completely naked… well, apart from a coat and penguin flippers. What is the reason for the nudity? Well, penguins don’t wear clothes, do they? The exposed nature is used for some inspired and hilarious moments, kicking off with Moby Dick (you won’t see it coming!), and you don’t want to know what happens to The Little Prince!
The thing about it all is it’s not offensive in the slightest. Where the idea of full-frontal nudity on stage may make some clutch their pearls in horror, it is actually a beautiful idea that literally (fittingly for literature) strips bare any unnecessary distractions to focus on one clown and his immeasurable creativity. Essentially replacing bells and whistles with balls and willies, it is a novel idea (pun intended) that pays off exceptionally well.
The success of it is Garry Starr himself, otherwise known as Damien Warren-Smith, a comedian and clown whose creativity knows no limits. His knack for comedy is unrivalled, creating a rapid and frequently funny hour (and a bit) that has the audience howling with laughter from the moment he reveals himself (yes, that can be interpreted in multiple ways) and doesn’t let on until the very last bow. At one point, I had tears streaming down my face from laughing too hard in one of the most joyous and unique experiences I have ever had in a theatre. While he has written a brilliant show already, Starr’s talents are demonstrated through his ad-libs and improvisation, such as his decision to restart the show to catch up the latecomers, reacting to the unlikely item in an audience member’s pocket and general unplanned and unscripted interactions with anyone who comes his way. Starr doesn’t do it alone, however, with a team helping him bring his one-man show to life, with director Cal McCrystal miraculously making some sort of sense out of the madness.
Audience interaction is a big part of the show, so consider yourself warned. Essentially, nowhere is safe in the theatre with Garry Starr even venturing to the back and hilariously reallocating seating to move people forward. If you really don’t want to be involved or get extremely close to Starr, I would certainly avoid sitting in the front row. While he does involve the audience a fair bit, consent is always asked with one moment seeing Starr ingeniously travel through the audience in the most unlikely of ways giving anyone who doesn’t want to be that close to him to get out of the way. It’s all in the name of fun though, with no malicious intent, even when a fight with a volunteer is staged. That led to my personal highlight of the performance, The Grapes of Wrath, which might be exactly what you think or the complete opposite of what you think, depending on how your mind works. This sequence of events gave me the biggest laugh of the show and ensured I never look at that particular story in the same way again.
The world can be a scary place sometimes, with daily news broadcasts always alerting us to some sort of new horror or atrocity. Sometimes, all you want is a bit of silliness and madness to switch your brain off and immerse yourself in some pure escapism. This is what Classic Penguins does best, wearing its heart on its sleeve (if it wore sleeves, of course) with a sole focus of putting smiles on the faces of the audience - something it does with ease.
It takes balls and brains to pull off a show this gloriously stupid and silly, with Garry Starr the perfect example of how much intelligence is required to truly nail the irreverent tone. In the process of paying tribute to some of the most timeless classics ever committed to page, Garry Starr has created a classic himself in the form of Classic Penguins, with no risk of this wonderfully inane and insane show going extinct any time soon.
Garry Starr: Classic Penguins plays at The Other Palace until 3rd January. Tickets from https://theotherpalace.co.uk/garry-starr-classic-penguins/
Photos by Austin Ruffer