Adapted for the stage by Ben Power and Tim Carroll, Spike Milligan’s Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall is currently on a four week run at Hampstead Theatre before embarking on a UK tour.
Using all Spike Milligan’s own words, the show follows the progress of Spike’s war with a constant barrage of jokes, routines, and songs.
A man called Chamberlain who did Prime Minister impressions spoke on the wireless; he said, “As from eleven o’clock we are at war with Germany”. (I loved the “we”). “War?” said Mother. “It must be something we said,” said Father…
Spike Milligan’s celebrated war memoirs are brought to anarchic life in this world premiere co-produced by Bristol Old Vic and Greg Ripley-Duggan.
This epic Everyman’s odyssey through World War Two, with a cast of extraordinary characters, charts Gunner Milligan’s progress from joining the Royal Artillery through the North African and Italian campaigns. High comedy and tragedy collide, as we follow him and his ad hoc jazz quartet – complete with their famed comedy routines – adrift on the tide of great historic events.
Using Milligan’s own words, the story is told through a joyous fusion of comedy, jazz, song and dance – showing how humour, music and comradeship enabled a hapless and disparate bunch of young men to prevail against the might of the Nazi War Machine.
Further show information at www.spikeswar.com
LISTING AND TOUR INFORMATION
4 July to 18 July
Bristol Old Vic
Box Office: 0117 987 7877
www.bristololdvic.org.uk
23 July to 22 August
Hampstead Theatre
Box Office: 020 7722 9301
www.hampsteadtheatre.com
25 to 29 August
Oxford Playhouse
Box Office: 01865 305 305
www.oxfordplayhouse.com
1 to 5 September
Plymouth Theatre Royal
Box Office: 01752 267222
www.theatreroyal.com
7 to 12 September
Malvern Festival Theatre
Box Office: 01684 892 277
www.malvern-theatres.co.uk
14 to 19 September
Theatre Royal Lincoln
Box Office: 01522 525 555
www.theatreroyallincoln.com
6 to 10 October
Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh
Box Office: 0131 248 4848
www.lyceum.org.uk
12 to 17 October
Congress Theatre Eastbourne
Box Office: 01323 412000
www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk
21 to 24 October
Chichester Festival Theatre
Box Office: 01243 781 312
www.cft.org.uk
2 to 7 November
Watford Palace Theatre
Box Office: 01923 225 671
www.watfordtheatre.co.uk
9 to 14 November
Liverpool Playhouse
Box Office: 0151 709 4776
www.everymanplayhouse.com
23 to 28 November
Nottingham Theatre Royal
Box Office: 0115 989 5555
www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk
More dates to be announced.
WHAT TO DO NOW?