Discover what critics have had to say about the stage adaptation based on Stanley Kubrick’s film with our review round up….
London Theatre Reviews: **** “Dr. Strangelove takes a fun, ludicrous look at a very serious situation that could have changed the course of time.”
The Guardian: *** “There is satire around gender parity in the room, but gender inversion in the casting might have offered up something more original and fun. Then again, if this show is anything, it is fun. And Coogan fans most certainly get bang for their buck.”
The Independent: *** “Armando Iannucci and Coogan team up to bring Stanley Kubrick’s Cold War satire to the West End, but the production is constrained by aiming too hard for cinematic perfection.”
The FT: *** “It’s full of cracking performances, however. Giles Terera, as the hawkish General Turgidson, smoothly games civilian casualty numbers as if calculating odds on the weather, while John Hopkins’ General Ripper, spouting garbage with complete conviction, feels frighteningly familiar. Meanwhile Coogan is terrific, making each of Sellers’ roles his own with honed comic timing. He’s particularly good as Mandrake, his mild manner and plummy English accent masking his rising desperation, and he’s spectacularly sinister as the ex-Nazi nuclear scientist, Dr Strangelove.”
The Stage: **** “Steve Coogan shines as an array of brilliantly absurd comic characters in this faithful stage transposition of Kubrick’s anti-war masterpiece.”
All That Dazzles: **** “Sean Foley’s direction furthers the strength of the writing, navigating a jaw-dropping set to deliver comic excellence – it is the direction behind Coogan’s take on Dr. Strangelove himself that showcase the strength of all involved here, furthering the character known from the movie with even more quirks.”
Time Out: *** “It’s an accomplished, funny West End comedy, and even if the Cold War is over it still has some topical bite, As the US elections roll around again, the idea of a generation of American men gearing up to do something totally insane and self-destructive – with catastrophic repercussions for the rest of the planet – truly does not seem out of date at all.”
Theatre & Tonic: ***** “Overall, this iteration of Dr. Strangelove is an incredibly impressive piece of work. It brilliantly showcases Steve Coogan’s talent across multiple roles and offers a sharp commentary on authority and absurdity which is still relevant today. This will likely be one of my favourite shows of the year and I hope to return to the Noel Coward Theatre before the end of the run to experience it again.”
London Theatre.co.uk: **** “At a time when the world feels terrifyingly precarious once again, this is very much a play for today – both an astute skewering of our worst tendencies and most paranoid fears, and an outrageously funny, much-needed release valve.”
The Reviews Hub: *** 1/2 “As director, Foley also lets the actors spend too much time seated at the back of the stage behind a table, sometimes making sight lines difficult, but the cast is clearly having a great time, and for the most part, thanks to Bechtler’s vision and Coogan’s performance, the audience is too.”
The Telegraph: ** “Sean Foley’s knockabout adaptation of Kubrick’s era-defining film is marked by a consistent refusal to take its subject seriously.”
Theatre Cat: “Some may jib at yet another play made from an immortally famous film. I don’t. It felt worth it, and of the moment.”
Dr Strangelove will run at the Noël Coward Theatre until 25th January 2025. You can book tickets via London Box Office.