Spamilton: An American Parody
Menier Chocolate Factory, London Until Sep 8, 1 hr 25 mins
This is a loving rip- off of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s mega-hit Hamilton, a show whose rationed tickets are as rare as fresh eggs in the Blitz. It’s by Gerard Alessandrini, who also wrote the (now ancient) musical parody Forbidden Broadway, imported to this same theatre four years ago.
Simon Beck bangs out the tunes at a piano in this pocket version of Hamilton that comes with a cast of seven (in 18th-century breeches and wigs) furiously rapping hijacked lyrics: ‘He’s a theatre icon / He’s half Hamilton / Half a can of cold Spam.’
Julie Yammanee (left) gives a terrific performance as a crazy Barbra Streisand alongside Eddie Elliott (right)
As Hamilton, Liam Tamne performs in the style of Lin-Manuel Miranda – a caricature that means nothing unless you’ve seen the original show in New York, where he took the lead role.
One of the highlights here is the great solo number by King George III. He tells us all those ‘gay shows’ like Kinky Boots are on the way out, in a song called Straight Is Back, hilariously delivered with exorbitant campness by Damian Humbley.
Liam Tamne (right), playing the title role, dancing alongside cast members Jason Denton (left) and Marc Akinfolarin (middle)
Other show’s lyrics undergo a similar comedy facelift. ‘I want to be in the room where it happens’ becomes ‘I want to be in the film when it happens’ – a sung orgy of panting greed for the inevitable screen cash-in probably starring Johnny Depp. The so-called ‘Book Of No More Mormon’ and its dwindling box-office revenues gets a nice kicking too.
As for show icons, Sophie-Louise Dann gives us Liza Minnelli, Elaine Paige and Julie Andrews, all in full diva mode. There’s good work by Julie Yammanee too; she’s terrific as a bonkers Barbra Streisand.
Sophie-Louise Dann (above), well known for performing in the Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical, gives a strong performance as Liza Minnelli
But it’s hard to regard any of this as biting satire when the author is piling on such affection for the main show he is sending up.
If you’ve not yet seen Hamilton, it probably won’t make much sense. For Hamilton fans, this is a gently enjoyable souvenir, beltingly performed.
End of the Pier
Park Theatre, London Until Aug 11, 2 hrs 15 mins
Rating: 
Les Dennis continues a fine straight acting career, ironically here playing an ex-comedian who was one half of a much loved double act, Chalk and Cheese. Bobby is living in a grotty Blackpool bedsit, his joint career having crashed after a racist joke was filmed. He has a knee-jerk response of appalling old jokes to everything and a working-class ethic.
His son Michael – The Inbetweeners’ Blake Harrison – is a popular TV stand-up whose observational comedy is meat and drink (prosciutto and prosecco) to the middle classes. But he faces ruin after a very un-PC drunken stag-do incident.
Les Dennis continues his successful acting career by playing Bobby in Danny Robin’s thought-provoking play
Danny Robin’s dense piece tackles political correctness, changing times and attitudes and the truth of comedy. There are contrivances: Michael’s pregnant fiancée is black, a comedy commissioner for the BBC – and she’s shocked there’s no Pret in Blackpool (boom-tish!).
The sting in this tale is a devastating stand-up routine by Michael’s Bangladeshi victim (ex EastEnder Nitin Ganatra, terrific) with shtick that sticks the knife in and has the audience both squirming in discomfort and helpless with laughter.
Mark Cook
Mr Stink
Chickenshed, London Until Aug 5, 2hrs
Rating:
David Walliams has created quite a stink at a north London theatre. To be precise, he has given permission for a musical adaptation of his book Mr Stink to be premiered at the Chickenshed theatre, which does great work with young people of all abilities.
The pongy person at the centre of this heartwarming tale, played by Bradley Davis, is a homeless man, a polite, well-spoken chap in tweeds, a bow tie and a scrappy coat with a mucky beard and an almighty burp.
Chloe (left, Lucy-Mae Beacock) develops an unexpected friendship with Mr Stink (right, Bradley Davis) when both characters bond over the fact they are social outcasts
As a loner herself, bullied at school, 12-year-old Chloe (an assured Lucy-Mae Beacock, above with Davis) finds a kindred spirit in Mr Stink. She invites him to stay in her family shed, much to the ire of her snobby mum, who’s standing to become the local MP and tries to use the situation to her advantage (typical politician). Until she ends up on a Question Time-style programme, in which Jeremy Vine makes a filmed cameo appearance as the presenter.
Adapter and director Lou Stein expertly marshals a cast comprising professional actors, Chickenshed’s BTEC and BA students and members of its youth theatre group, notably a well-drilled chorus that performs such songs as a paean to sausages (Mr Stink’s favourite food).
The eventual reverse ferret by Chloe’s opponents to achieve the required happy ending is a little abrupt but Walliams’s gentle addressing of social inclusion is welcome, and chimes perfectly with Chickenshed’s admirable goals.
Mark Cook