Theatre Review: Puckoon – The MAC

Big Telly’s stage adaptation of Puckoon is certainly a very funny and zany treat. The play stays true to the essence of Spike Milligan’s comic novel with its surreal and chaotic humour, whilst bringing it to life on stage.

Portstewart based Big Telly Theatre Company certainly doesn’t shy away from taking on a production that has only six actors playing 40 odd different characters and Puckoon sees the actors playing several parts each (some even in the one scene). This all adds to the rambunctious nature of the production, but it doesn’t stop there, they all also have to play the music in the band and move the props themselves. The music, which is very appropriate is by the talented Paul Boyd who also plays the part of The Writer on stage.

Based on the 1962 book by Spike Milligan the play is set in 1922 at the time of partition in Ireland. The Border Commission, in a rush to get to the pub before it closes, has drawn the border straight through the tiny Irish village of Puckoon. This inadvertently leads to various anomalies, like part of the bar being in Ulster and having cheaper beer and Catholics ending up buried on the wrong side of the new border. What ensues is a riotous series of situations based loosely around two bungling IRA men trying to smuggle arms in a coffin while the bodies are brought back to their own side of the border.

The set is simple with the few props cleverly reused in different ways. Paul Boyd narrates and holds the play together from behind his keyboard. Paddy Jenkins is a pleasure to watch as the work-shy Dan Milligan, and Patrick O’Reilly, Keith Singleton, John O Mahoney and Giles Stoakley all give wonderfully funny and impressive multi-character performances.

If you know nothing about Spike Milligan or Puckoon, don’t worry, this is a hilarious,frantic and chaotic play that will have you laughing throughout. But if you, like me, read Puckoon a very long time ago and have precious memories of it, then don’t worry either, for this production by Big Telly Theatre Company captures the comic genius of Spike’s book and brings it all crazily to life. Now, where is that old copy of Puckoon…

Puckoon is on at Belfast’s The MAC Theatre and is running until 30th April. For more information or to book tickets click here.

This goes post was written by Stephen Caldwell (yes, yet another member of the Caldwell family). He’s PastieBap’s dad and loves Spike Milligan more than he loves us…