overyourhead

Shockheaded Peter...
Last Friday David, Marcus, Marky and I went to go see Shockheaded Peter at The Albery Theatre. Peter is a surreal mix of fairy story, urban myth, Roald Dahl, Terry Gilliam and Rocky Horror. And a very sucessful mix it is too.

Dr. Heinrich Hoffmann, a Frankfurt 'medical man of the lunatic asylum', wrote and illustrated The Struwwelpeter (ShockHeaded Peter) more than 150 years ago because he couldn't find anything on the shelves to fire the imagination of (and terrify) his children. And he did a pretty good job he did too.

The Tiger Lillies' Martyn Jacques wrote all the songs and starred in the original production that has picked up a clutch of awards. This revival however stars David Thomas (ex of Pere Ubu) as a chubby, rosy-cheeked singer relating the grisly tales of infant death. The scissors snip and the thumbs fall.

The show is stolen though by Julian Bleach's MC. This self-proclaimed "greatest actor who has ever existed" still ranks as the funniest performance on the London stage. He sneers, preens, tap-dances and plays the spoons; his wig drops off and he exposes his fake penis. It's a real winner!

Go see.