Garry Starr’s Classic Penguins – A Delightfully Daft Evening at the Arts Theatre
- Sarah
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Garry Starr certainly has balls!
On the press night for Classic Penguins, a surreal tone was set before we even entered the building. Guests were greeted outside the Arts Theatre by a flock of penguins—yes, actual performers in full penguin regalia clutching paperbacks—welcoming us a great photo opportunity. It was a delightfully daft prelude to the madness that awaited inside.
From the moment you step into the Arts Theatre, you know you're in for something whimsical. The walls are lined with pictures of penguins and there, front and centre, sits Garry Starr in a plush library armchair—his back deliberately turned to us, casually puffing on a vape pipe. He remains still until the lights dim. Then, with a smooth swivel, the reveal hits: flippers, ruff, and full-on cheekiness. The audience burst into shocked laughter before a strangulated word was spoken.
From that poised moment, Classic Penguins whisks us into a 70-minute literary clown fest. Garry’s mission? To “save” every Penguin Classic in one gloriously absurd evening. He draws titles off the set’s bookshelf—each spine spotlighted by a live camera to a screen above—so we all know the next target: Moby Dick, Frankenstein, The Grapes of Wrath, The Handmaid’s Tale—nothing is spared from his ridiculous reimagining.
A spectacular shout-out must go to the sound engineer, Jack Greenyer, whose audio magic keeps pace with every madcap twist. His cues—be it gun shots, slapstick thwack, or eerie effect—arrive at frame-perfect moments, amplifying the chaos with surprising polish. Clouding that bizarre, playful energy are sound and lighting elements that elevate the laughter to collective catharsis.
What truly anchors the show is the joyful audience interaction. Volunteers aren't target practice—they’re willing accomplices in Starr's surreal shenanigans. The Grapes of Wrath became a fruit food fight, the Jungle Book brought a different interpretations to bear and bare. The vibe? Always respectful, occasionally chaotic, and entirely consensual—Starr creates the atmosphere, but the audience builds the mayhem. And yes: everyone was laughing, helplessly and joyfully, at every turn.
Starr, alias Damien Warren‑Smith, trained under Philippe Gaulier, masterfully melds clown craft with literary parody. His pacing is fierce, his commitment full-body—nutcases who adore absurdity will revel as he turns cartwheels, sings, or smokes that vape from different offices!. And there’s not a moment of boredom—just relentless, absurd wit that’s also shockingly warm.
Add to this a slick design team: under Cal McCrystal’s direction, Takis’s scenic flair, Lily Dawford-Lewis’s lighting design, and Jack Greenyer’s sound wizardry, Classic Penguins becomes more than silly—it’s a polished surrealist carnival.
When & Where Arts Theatre, 6–7 Great Newport Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 7JB
Sunday 2 Nov – 7:30pm
Monday 3 Nov – 7:00pm
Sunday 9 Nov – 7:30pm
Sunday 16 Nov – 7:30pm
Sunday 23 Nov – 7:30pm
Monday 24 Nov – 7:00pm
Sunday 30 Nov – 7:30pm
Sunday 7 Dec – 7:30pm
Monday 8 Dec – 7:00pm
Sunday 14 Dec – 7:30pm
Tickets from £25
Age Guidance: 18+
Running Time: 70 Mins
🎟 Booking:
