Dr. Strangelove
Review by Sam
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stanley Kubrick’s critically acclaimed comedy masterpiece explodes onto the stage in this world first adaptation with Steve Coogan taking on the title role…s!
The political satire follows a rogue American general who orders an unplanned attack on the Soviet Union, but can the US War Room prevent an all out war? The show is a faithful adaptation of the film, incorporating so many of the scenes which devoted fans will recognise and love. The film is brought to life with masterful set and video design, combining screens, projections and practical effects in perfect unison to transport audiences from scene to scene. My personal highlights were the clever creation of a bomber plane in flight, and the entrance into the famous war room.
BAFTA Award Winner Steve Coogan leads the production with a layered performance which is both hilarious and tiring, zipping between a quartet of characters across 135 minutes. Coogan is no stranger to character acting, but to be able to play these vastly unique roles showcases why he’s one of the best comedic actors working today. Aside from Coogan, it was John Hopkins who made me laugh the most, with his dry and monotone delivery of some killer (literally) lines of dialogue. However, despite the brilliant performances and ingenious set design the show didn’t land for me.
Despite the source material, the script and humour felt extremely generational, with only a handful of jokes making me laugh. It felt that only a handful of audiences members who were devoted fans were howling throughout, in a show which I would describe as often feeling silly but not always funny. I was never bored watching the play, but I felt that the vast majority of satire didn’t work in the way it was intended.
At the core, the show is great based on its phenomenal central performance and equally strong supporting cast. The direction, set, video, and projection design all work in unison to faithfully recreate the film in a way that diehard fans will love. However, the story and humour let the piece down for me personally, with only some lines making me boom with laughter!