OBSERVER: Dr Strangelove
he National Theatre adaption of Stanley Kubrick’s Dr Strangelove for the stage is a curious undertaking.
Steve Coogan plays the roles made famous by Peter Sellers, adding to the repertoire the role of Major Kong but, in order to do this, there are theatrically contrived exits and entrances to allow him to appear in the same scene with his other selves.
This speaks to the challenge of moving from the genre of film to the reality of the stage.
What is also difficult to dispense with, having seen Kubrick’s film, are the original performances and characterisations which this filmed stage adaptation simply attempts to reproduce.
The dialogue is terribly familiar and the classic lines such as, “You can’t fight here.This is the war room,” don’t come as a surprise. They are expected and this, somewhat, takes the sizzle out of the satire.
One might also add that the cold war culture has been surpassed by more recent global events that are worthy of the same biting satire if only someone could write something that would make sense of the absurdity of American politics.
Presumably, there will be the imposition of a tariff if this British production is seen in American cinemas.
Whilst this work is professionally staged, you have to wonder if watching the original film in all its black and what glory can actually be surpassed for its ingenious insight into a paranoia that overtook the world during the cold war.
The times have changed – the paranoia hasn’t.
The world is simply being blown up in a different way and General Ripper has been recast as a president.
In select Australian cinemas from April 24. Bookings and further information: sharmillfilms.com.au
Review by David McLean