Garry Starr: Classic Penguins ⭐⭐⭐

“International sell-out cult-hit Garry Starr is back, and is hell-bent on saving books from extinction by performing every Penguin Classic novel ever written. Mostly naked (but with flippers).”

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Some shows make you walk into the theatre wondering what on earth you have just agreed to watch. Garry Starr: Classic Penguins is very much one of those shows. Honestly, that is part of the fun. What begins as an attempt to save literature from extinction quickly descends into a gloriously chaotic deluge of classic novels, ridiculous interpretations, audience interaction and a frankly impressive amount of devotion to the bit.

Cal McCrystal's direction is wonderfully chaotic and adds to the show's spur-of-the-moment decision-making. There is a real sense that anything could happen at any moment, while underneath the apparent madness is a very carefully designed piece of comedy. It feels spontaneous without actually being spontaneous, which is no small achievement.

LX by Lily Dawford has so many different states and adds such a lovely visual treat for us to watch. It also helps separate the individual stories, giving each fictional adventure its own little world and considering the speed at which the show moves, the lighting does a great job of helping us keep up.

Jack Greenyer's sound work is strong, and the hotkeys add so much more fun to the mix. Some of the scene underscoring is genuinely hilarious, and the choices are often perfect. A well-timed sound effect can make a joke, and here the sound is frequently one of the performers in its own right.

Set by Takis is wonderfully simple. It doesn’t need to be complicated because the real transformation comes from Starr. The bookshelf and chest had a nice mix of old and new. I particularly loved the red back curtain, which adds to the slightly old-school theatricality while also fitting perfectly into the show’s wonderfully silly aesthetic.

Projection and live camera work by Jack Greenyer are good and really help us understand which story we are on. It is also used for comedic effect without becoming something that the audience has to notice constantly. In a show moving this quickly, having that visual reference is particularly useful.

Book by Damien Warren-Smith is funny. It is like a car crash: you don’t really know what is going on half the time, but you absolutely cannot help but look. And somehow, despite appearing completely random, there is an extraordinary amount of thought behind the silliness. I loved the jokes, particularly the ones that aren’t simply there for the shock factor. The grapes and the bear section were particular highlights for me because they demonstrate that the comedy doesn’t always need to rely on nudity or pushing the audience’s buttons. Sometimes a ridiculous idea, executed with complete commitment, is more than enough.

And then there is Damien Warren-Smith as Garry Starr. He is a great performer, and it is incredibly obvious how much he loves what he does. There is a wonderful sense that he is having just as much fun as the audience, and that infectious energy carries the whole show. His comedic timing is excellent. He knows precisely when to hold a moment, when to push it and when to completely abandon whatever sensible theatrical decision he was supposed to be making. His physical comedy is particularly strong, and his ability to switch between characters and ideas so quickly is genuinely impressive.

There are moments where the sheer randomness of Classic Penguins can feel like it is running away with itself, and not every gag lands with quite the same force. At times, the chaos threatens to become a little too chaotic. But asking this show to behave sensibly is missing the point entirely. Classic Penguins is ridiculous, silly and completely devoted to its own bizarre premise. It is not trying to give you a serious new interpretation of the classics. It is trying to perform as many of them as possible in the most absurd way imaginable, and for the most part, it succeeds. You probably won’t leave feeling that you’ve gained a greater understanding of Moby-Dick. You may, however, leave wondering why nobody has thought of doing it quite like this before. And perhaps that is the real literary achievement.

Garry Starr: Classic Penguins plays at the Pleasance Courtyard – Grand (Venue 33) from the 5–30 August at 9:20pm and runs for approximately 70 minutes. Please be aware that this show is 18+ due to its content.

Book tickets for Garry Starr: Classic Penguins