CityLife

Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall

Spike Milligan's Adolf Hitler: My Part In His Downfall
The Lowry
April 6, 2010

The recent trend for nostalgia shows has thrown up a rare gem in this look at the war years of a young Spike Milligan.

This is in no small part due to Milligan’s timeless writing which sparkles into life on stage with witty one-liners firing quicker than the guns.

“What are you talking about Milligan?

“Oh, I’d say about 10 words a minute, sir.”

“You wait. I’ll be rich one day... and maybe the day after that.”

The words are faithfully taken from the first four of Spike Milligan’s seven volumes of war memoirs and have been adapted for the stage by Ben Power and Tim Carroll as a series of chaotically related comic sketches, interspersed with Milligan’s other love, jazz music.

In Spike Milligan’s war, the British won with music and laughter. Yet, without ever belittling the seriousness of the subject matter, it manages to be both achingly poignant and eye wateringly funny.

Sholto Morgan gives an impressive professional debut as a young Spike Milligan. He is incredibly likeable, capturing the comic’s zany playfulness and manic glint superbly. He also has a fine voice and plays a mean tune on the trumpet.

He’s joined by four multi-talented actor-musicians to form a fabulous ensemble, which is bursting with energy - Matt Devereaux on clarinet, Dominic Gerrard on piano, David Morley Hale on double bass and William Findley on drums.

The music is as central and as the comedy with snatches of wartime favourites like Glenn Miller’s In The Mood, Chattanooga Choo Choo and The Lambeth Walk. There is also a beautifully harmonic O God Our Help, sang in the barracks.

It all makes for a wonderfully entertaining evening, proving that laughter and music really is a winning formula.

Spike Milligan’s Adolf Hitler: My Part In His Downfall is at The Lowry until April 10, 2010.

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