“an arrogant, thoroughly dated and unfunny mess … send in the rescue team”
A crisis is unfolding. A team must be dispatched to deal with it. This is the basis for countless World War Two action films, and the starting point for Doodle – The Musical! at the Waterloo East Theatre. With book and lyrics from Jonathan Kydd, whose father Sam starred in several of these films, and music from Andy Street, an American Idol mentee, the signs would appear promising. The show aspires to present a loving pastiche, a comedy-musical aiming for a lightning quick romp. Instead, it is unfortunate that the age of the inspiration floods into the comedy and misses the target entirely. A crisis is unfolding …
It is 1940. The inventor of the bouncing bomb, Barnes Wallis, is kidnapped by the Germans to make a war-winning device. As he is regarded as someone who only has the ability to make things bounce, the worst of the worst are assembled to rescue him and find out what Gerry is up to. This includes, among others, the actor Errol Flynn, David Niven and Weaver, a woman who is constantly ignored but will eventually come good, as per the patronising character type that writers believe is a ‘strong empowering woman’.
With such a rich vein of material from which to use, Kydd’s writing truly labours to find the funny, and tries to grab at all it can. We jump across scientists in love with their robots, a spy who is amusing because the actor is naked, or something, and a bizarre repeating line of humour in which anything linked to homosexuality is apparently hilarious! I want to dispel the idea that this is political correctness gone mad; it’s just simply not funny. The songs do not add much to help matters. Led in by awkward segues, they are overlong and rely often on constant repetition in place of any wit or memorable hooks.
The production from Jonathan Moore has none of the visual razzmatazz that might release a piece of this kind. Transitions are awkward, dull and clunky while the bare design from Baska Wesolowska places the emphasis on the comedy, which in this case does not act as a positive. This mundanity carries in to the choreography, uninventive and stilted. I particularly sympathise for dancers Kate Haughton and Viva Foster, whose only instruction appears to be that they vaguely float around in skimpy outfits during songs.
For the cast, there are moments where you feel that with given stronger material they could have promise. Sooz Henshaw does what she can as Weaver, lending her at least some personality. As Tweed, Paul Ryan brings a suitable stiff upper lip. But it is too late to save anything from the evening. All are stuck within an arrogant, thoroughly dated and unfunny mess. Send in the rescue team.
“the first half lacked the sense of fun and direction that the second half successfully delivered”
Having gone through the majority of my life knowing nothing of Bananaman, I was intrigued to learn more about this parody of a superhero and more importantly how a musical could be written about him.
For the uninitiated he was introduced in February 1980 on the back cover of Nutty, a new DC Thompson produced comic. He was portrayed as a hero with the ‘muscles of twenty men though with the brains of twenty mussels’. Following the success of his comic book appearances a TV cartoon was commissioned featuring the high profile voices of The Goodies. The series finished in 1986 but today visitors to Beano.com can indulge themselves in trivia and the original videos. Bananaman continues to be a popular figure in Beano.
Leon Parris has taken the original storyline and written the book, music and lyrics to this entertaining, yet bonkers production. Mark Perry directs what seems to be a cross between pantomime and a Footlights comedy show. Designer Mike Leopold has made the most of the Playhouse Large’s open space with a two level set surrounded by blown up Beano images. The atmosphere is cemented by TV theme tunes playing as the audience enters.
The story explores Bananaman’s origins when weedy Eric Wimp gains super powers which in turn leads to a series of often comical misadventures along the way with (a talking) Crow, love interest Fiona and the bumbling Chief O’Reilly whilst all the time having to endure the awful food prepared by his loving mother. It’s a classic good over evil storyline with our hero attempting to defeat the villains Dr Gloom, General Blight and the Mad Magician.
A fine cast has been assembled to get hold of the content and on my visit they brought laughter and cheer to a very responsive audience who rewarded the hard working team with a standing ovation.
Mark Newnham (from All or Nothing and Sunny Afternoon) has a great voice and plays the part of Eric Wimp well and Emma Ralston is a terrific Fiona Mullins. Jodie Jacobs takes on the role of Crow bringing her strong singing voice to the fore whilst carrying out the difficult job of being the ventriloquist making Crow come to life. TJ Lloyd is a very funny Chief O’Reilly and Matthew McKenna is everything you’d want the square jawed and muscled Bananaman to be.
Standout performances come from Marc Pickering as Dr Gloom and Carl Mullaney as the camp General Blight. Pickering is quite amazing and worth the price of the ticket alone.
Disappointingly I found the sound to be rather muddled and often overpowered the singers to such an extent that at times it was difficult to hear the words that were being sung. The lighting was basic yet reasonably effective.
Whilst I enjoyed the show I felt that the first half lacked the sense of fun and direction that the second half successfully delivered. I’m sure many Bananaman fans will fall in love with this production, though others may find it just a little too puerile to be really enjoyable and worthy of another star.
