Garry Starr - Classic Penguins Review: a whimsical race through the literary greats... in the buff!
23 October 2026 | 21:15 | The Other Palace, London
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | PR - Invite
Another night at one of my favourite off-West End theatres: The Other Palace. A venue that is designed to give everyone a great view of the stage and the best possible experience, wherever you sit. Although when it comes to Garry Starr - Classic Penguins, your seat choice might need a little more consideration, depending on how much of Garry you want to see and how involved you're willing to get! There certainly is a lot of Garry on display, with some very enthusiastic audience participation.
As the title suggests, the show takes inspiration from the Penguin Classics series of literature, turning familiar stories and literary conventions into a series of outrageous comedy sketches. To save the books from extinction, Garry Starr sets out to perform as many of these as possible, including Wuthering Heights, Dracula, Around the World in Eighty Days and Breakfast at Tiffany's. There is an added layer of fun in recognising the stories being performed, though the more obscure titles equally lend themselves well to his wonderfully ridiculous mind.
And the comedy doesn't stop when Garry briefly exits the stage. We are treated to a David Attenborough-esque wildlife documentary, which takes the premise to a new level by suggesting that the penguins of Antarctica themselves are responsible for writing the novels we know and love. It's these clever little touches that make the show feel so well thought out, proving that its humour goes far beyond the stage.
Of course, there is one rather important detail that we neglect to mention: Garry wears little more than an Elizabethan ruff, a formal tailcoat and flippers (seriously, that is all he wears!). Exclusively for audiences aged 18+, if you aren't prepared to see the male anatomy from just about every angle imaginable, look away now!
This production has previously been so popular at Edinburgh Fringe (and internationally), that it can often be a fight for tickets. So when Classic Penguins was announced for its longest-ever run at The Other Palace, this marks the perfect opportunity for those who initially missed out on tickets. And it feels like being transported back to the magic of Edinburgh Fringe in its outrageously clever and laugh-out-loud genius.
The shock factor is what makes this style of comedy so effective. You might think you have an idea of where a sketch is going, but Garry has a knack for taking it somewhere you really aren't expecting. I write with trepidation not to give too much away, as you really need to experience it yourself to appreciate all of its absurdities.
Of course, it takes more than a pair of flippers and a willingness to get naked for just over an hour, and Damien Warren-Smith as Garry Starr in an absolute star(r)! His confidence to deliver such rapid-fire comedy practically nude in front of a packed audience, while keeping them engaged in the material, is sensational. His physical comedy and commitment to every scenes is brilliant, and whether he is performing a sketch individually or bringing an unsuspecting audience member into the chaos... be prepared!
There is far more variety than you may expect from the evening too, with singing, dancing, physical comedy and even a wire that transports Garry from the audience. Its gloriously silly and afraid to push the boundaries as far as imaginable. Directed by the force that is Cal McCrystal, we see a true master of his craft at work.
If you aren't easily embarrassed, and you're after a night of completely unfiltered absurdity, Garry Starr - Classic Penguins is more than worth the visit. Running at The Other Palace, London until the 3rd January 2027: https://theotherpalace.co.uk/garry-starr-classic-penguins/
This is part of Francesca Moody Productions' season of extraordinary fringe work at The Other Palace, alongside Tim Crouch's An Oak Tree (until 15th November - with stars including Adrian Lester and Suranne Jones still to come), followed by dark, one-man comedy Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen starring Steven Webb (19th November - 10th January).
