Dr. Strangelove West End tickets
Directed and co-adapted by Sean Foley and Armando Iannucci, Stanley Kubrick’s iconic Dr. Strangelove is getting its first-ever stage adaptation this Autumn. Starring comedy legend Steve Coogan, don’t miss your chance to see this jet black comedy. Book your tickets to the very first Dr. Strangelove play today!
What is the Dr. Strangelove play about?
What would happen if the wrong person pushed the wrong button?
A political and military satire, Kubrick’s timeless masterpiece explores the chilling paranoia of nuclear annihilation at the height of The Cold War. Dr. Strangelove portrays an unhinged U.S. Air Force general initiating a covert nuclear strike on the Soviet Union, without the President’s knowledge or approval. What follows is a tense war room scenario, as government officials and military leaders scramble to avoid an apocalyptic nuclear conflict and its catastrophic aftermath.
The History of Dr. Strangelove
Dr. Strangelove was first shown to the world in 1964 and quickly cemented its status as one of the most highly regarded pieces of cinematic history. Peter George’s gripping Cold War novel Red Alert was a loose inspiration for Kubrick, who collaborated with George and screenwriter Terry Southern to create an adaptation for the big screen. The story of the movie revolves around the maddening fear and absurdity that surrounded the nuclear arms race between the US and the USSR at the height of the Cold War.
Enter General Jack D. Ripper, an unhinged and paranoid United States Air Force general, who dauntlessly orders a nuclear assault on the Soviet Union without proper authorisation. His twisted belief revolves around communists contaminating the “precious bodily fluids” of Americans through fluoridation, thus fueling his audacious attack.
The film mocks the political and military establishment’s views on nuclear weapons and the doctrine of mutually assured destruction (MAD) with satirical humour. Blending serious subject matters with dark comedy, under Kubrick’s direction, Dr. Strangelove exposes the absurdities of nuclear war and its disastrous effects.
Facts and critical acclaim
- Dr. Strangelove is Kubrick's highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes, holding a 98% approval rating
- Two time Olivier award winner, Sean Foley, achieved notable West End success with The Ladykillers. Across the pond, the director, writer, comedian and actor recieved a Tony nomination for his tribute to Morecambe and Wise, The Play What I Wrote.
- Multi award winner Armando Iannucci is best known for creating the cult political satire The Thick of It, the film adaptation, In The Loop, recieved an Oscsar nomination in 2010. He since went on to write the BAFTA winning film, The Adventures of David Copperfield.
- Steve Coogan is known to many as Alan Partridge, a character he created whilst working with Iannucci. He has since won six BAFTAs, the Edinburgh Fringe award and been nominated for an Oscar.
Dr. Strangelove West End cast
Main Cast
- Dr. Strangelove, Captain Mandrake, President Muffley, Major TJ Kong - Steve Coogan
- General Turgidson - Giles Terera
- General Ripper - John Hopkins
- Jefferson - Oliver Alvin-Wilson
- Vera Lynn - Penny Ashmore
- General Staines - Ben Deery
- Frank - Richard Dempsey
- Faceman - Mark Hadfield
- Russian Ambassador Bakov - Tony Jayawardena
- Lincoln - Dharmesh Patel
- Sergent - Alex Stoll
- Colonel Bat Guano - Ben Turner
Dr. Strangelove West End creative
- Director and co-adapter - Sean Foley
- Co-adapter - Armando Iannucci