The Cold War classic Dr. Strangelove, directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick and adapted for the stage by Armando Iannucci and Sean Foley, officially opened earlier this month at the Nol Coward Theatre!

The iconic 1964 film captured the tense nuclear standoff and strained relations between the USSR and the USA. With Kubrick's estate fiercely protective of the director's groundbreaking legacy, past attempts to adapt his work were routinely dismissed. This is the first time a director has been allowed into Kubrick's world, sparking excitement from all corners. Let's dive in and see what some critics have to say.

Reviews

"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" - TimeOut

"It's an accomplished, funny West End comedy"

"All of this is skilfully realised on Hildegard Bechtler's monochrome set, which mixes traditional structures of desks and airplane cockpits with Jessica Hung Han Yun's lighting and Akhila Krishnan's cleverly realistic projections to create an impressive range of settings." - WhatsOnStage 

"an impressive range of settings"

"This production achieves the dubious feat of turning an edgy, absurdist story into broad entertainment with accessible laughs, along with a few topical references and excellent performances all round." - The Guardian

"This production achieves the dubious feat of turning an edgy, absurdist story into broad entertainment with accessible laughs"

"Director and co-adapter Sean Foley maintains the tension and the comedy throughout with remarkable nimbleness and Coogan manages the quick changes necessary with the help of a very good dresser waiting in the wings." - Daily Express

"Steve Coogan shines as an array of brilliantly absurd comic characters in this faithful stage transposition of Kubrick's anti-war masterpiece" - The Stage

"Steve Coogan shines as an array of brilliantly absurd comic characters"

Iannucci is royalty to British sitcom fans, with the crown jewels in his back-catalogue including UK classic comedies Alan Partridge and The Thick of It, as well as 2017 hit movie The Death of Stalin. His list of awards is almost as extensive as his filmography, such as the quality of his writing, with multiple BAFTAs, Emmys, Writers Guild of America awards and many more. Sean Foley's theater career is equally successful, with two Laurence Olivier Awards for Do you come Here Often and The Play What I Wrote, as well as further nominations for The Ladykillers and others.