Review: IDIOTS ASSEMBLE - SPITTING IMAGE SAVES THE WORLD, Birmingham Rep
Photo credit: Mark Senior
Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image Saves the World has landed at the Birmingham Rep with a bang! The iconic satire, which made its debut on our screens in the 80s, is now gracing the stage with total lack of a filter and mockery included.
A marvel blockbuster on the stage, we follow our vertically challenged leading man Tom Cruise on his mission impossible: saving the UK. Jam-packed with laugh-out-loud one-liners from a world star puppet cast, you can’t help but root for the ragtag group that are the heroes of this tale.
With its lack of a filter, nothing is off the cards in terms of the content of the show to the puppet caricatures.
Spitting Image has always been a masterclass of puppetry and bringing it to the stage only highlights this. Choreography from Lizzi Gee blends with puppetry work from the entire puppeteer cast who take on over 100 characters, bringing them to life every curtain up.
Puppet sizes range from just one hand to the opposite scale being manoeuvred by four or five people at once. With puppeteer’s legs being part of the design for certain characters to full body suits for others, it is clear how carefully thought out each design has been executed to bring this piece to life.
Admittedly, the show has had to keep being rewritten due to the ever-changing political climate. This is reflected in new lines from Nicola Sturgeon who, at the time of press night, had just announced her resignation the previous day. Despite this, the show triumphs during these rewritten moments and plainly highlights the real heart of Spitting Image - making people laugh.
With the use of projection, private ‘royal boxes’ and cleverly thought out set pieces, we are transported around the world with video design by Nina Dunn, lighting design by Paul Groothuis and set design by Alice Power.
A particular favourite scene is the summoning of the Tory Party set outside Downing Street, underneath a score of Elton John’s ‘Circle Of Life’. The puppets emerging from different points around the auditorium and stage brings an immersive quality to Spitting Image that we haven’t seen before.
The talents of the voice artists are also evident in every scene. Stand-out performances are Ian McKellen, Alison Hammond, Kier Starmer and Greta Thunberg. Having to work with pre-recorded audio is sometimes a challenge as the audience is still laughing at the previous joke. Singing as a character, it is also sometimes hard to distinguish the rewritten lyrics. Had there been subtitles during the songs, the messages would have been a lot clearer.
This is a show that doesn’t take anything too seriously. After the start of this decade, we all need a good laugh. If you enjoy poking fun at celebrities, politicians and other famous people, this is the show for you.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Tyler Whiting
Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image Saves the World plays at Birmingham Rep until 11 March, with further information here.