A deliriously unhinged masterpiece— you’ll laugh, cringe, and beg for more.Rating
Unmissable!
There are shows that make you laugh, shows that make you think – and then there’s Classic Penguins, Garry Starr’s one-man fever dream of a performance that leaves you wondering, ‘What on earth did I just watch?’, and yet desperately craving more.
From the moment the audience walks in, Starr is already on stage, silently waiting, building anticipation with an unnerving focus. It’s a small act of theatre magic: he’s not just waiting for the show to start, he is the show already in motion. Dressed as a penguin (yes, a literal penguin), he dives headfirst into an absurd, anarchic reimagining of the literary canon as published by Penguin Classics. For 70 minutes, the stage becomes a playground of chaos, satire, and sincerity.
We meet a penguin with absolutely no inhibitions. Yes, there’s full-frontal nudity — but in true Garry Starr style, it’s both ridiculous and strangely poetic. Classics such as Frankenstein, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, and The Great Escape are gleefully dismantled and reassembled through Starr’s clown logic. It’s irreverent, unpredictable, and frequently leaves the audience gasping in that strange space between laughter and disbelief.
But make no mistake, behind the chaos lies craft. Starr is not just a comedian; he’s a master clown in the truest sense. Forget red noses and exaggerated gestures – his clowning is rooted in connection, vulnerability, and razor-sharp instinct. It’s no surprise that behind Garry Starr’s feathers, Damien Warren-Smith is a Gaulier-trained performer whose technical mastery and fearlessness elevate the absurd to art. He knows exactly how to make us squirm, and he does so with such warmth and control that we happily surrender to the madness.
Sound effects and music punctuate the performance, layering the absurdity with a surprising polish. There’s even fruit – grapes, oranges and mushrooms – and no, I won’t explain why. To do so would ruin the surprise. This is a show that must be experienced, not described.
At times politically charged, always self-aware, and relentlessly inventive, Classic Penguins walks a tightrope between brilliance and bedlam. It’s a risky performance that thrives on audience interaction and the bravery of those who play along becomes part of the spectacle. Starr’s pacing is impeccable; time dissolves as the chaos unfolds with dreamlike rhythm.
When it’s over, you’ll find yourself laughing, slightly bewildered, and deeply impressed. You may not know exactly what you witnessed but you’ll know it was something special. Classic Penguins is Starr’s delirious love letter to art, literature, and the joy of not taking any of it too seriously. Fearless, funny, and yes, completely bare (in more ways than one), it’s a one-man masterclass in bold, boundary-breaking theatre.
Written and Performed by Garry Starr
Director: Cal McCrystal
Designer: Takis
Lighting: Lily Woodford-Lewis
Executive Producer: Francesca Moody
Associate Producer: Grace Dickson
Garry Starr: Classic Penguins plays at The Arts Theatre
on Sunday & Monday evenings throughout November & December
