Part biography, part homage to one of the great postwar comic geniuses, a man to whom modern comedy owes so much. In the year of the centenary of Spike Milligan's birth here's Jeremy Stockwell playing the man himself, with the show's writer Chris Larner joining his as narrator and co-conspirator on stage. Informative and entertaining, it's as chaotic and zany and frequently inspired, just like Spike.
It begins with Stockwell sitting under a sheet, telling the audience what to shout back at him, and that's as good a way as any to introduce the daftness that follows. They enact scenes from Milligan's childhood and war service, remind us he was a talented musician as well, and go into the world of The Goons, with the pressures that brought to bear on Spike and his subsequent mental health problems. All interlaced with bizarre moments like the sight of 2 grown men jumping circles in dustbins - very Spike.
The show's title comes from Milligan's reputation for making bizarre requests to the BBC sound effects department, one of them being the noise of a man being hit on the head with the eponymous dessert filled hose. Stockwell is a convincing Spike, especially in old age, capturing the manic personality well, while Larner acts the 'sensible' role, trying to bring some order to the other's anarchy. At the end the 2 performers leave their characters behind and reminisce on their own memories of the great man (both met him briefly) and the huge impact he had at the time and on those who followed.
It probably helps to know something of Milligan's life and work in getting the most out of this production (there were plenty of moments I recognised from my own knowledge of Spike), but it would still be hugely enjoyable to anyone who appreciates surreal humour and the delights of a fertile imagination. Highly recommended.
A Sockful of Custard is on in Pleasance Dome at 20.00 until 27 August.
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