This February, Birmingham Comedy Festival and FRED Theatre present a rare opportunity to relive the lunacy of The Goon Show as they bring to life two classic Spike Milligan scripts -  “The House of Teeth” and “The Jet-Propelled Guided NAAFI”. - live on stage. Complete with live sound effects and jazz band, performances in Birmingham, Stratford and Shrewsbury will feature Richard Usher as Peter Sellers, Mark Earby as Spike Milligan, Stephan Bessant as Harry Secombe and Phil Hemming as Wallace Greenslade and The Announcer.

Having rewritten the rules of British comedy back in the 1950s, attracting radio audiences of around 7 million, The Goon Show helped to pave the way for future comedy from Monty Python to The Mighty Boosh. 60 odd years later, the Goons can still be head on BBC radio today, and now audiences in the West Midlands will have the chance to experience their surreal humour in a different way. Here, actor Richard Usher discusses his love for the iconic series. 

When did you first become aware of The Goons?

‘The Ying Tong Song’ and ‘Michael Bentine’s Potty Time’ were probably my earliest encounters with the world of The Goons, but I didn’t become aware of ‘The Goon Show’ until the early 80’s when my Dad overhead me editing some tapes of silly comedy sketches I’d made.  I remember him telling me that it reminded him of a radio show he’d listened to as a kid, and then he took me to the library and we borrowed some ‘Goon Show’ LP’s.  I remember the stylus settling in on ‘The Missing No.10 Downing Street’, and I was hooked!

How has it felt revisiting shows that were written some 60 years ago?

They feel like old friends to me, so revisiting is a good analogy!  I collected the BBC ‘Goon Show Classics’ LP’s as a teenager and listening to them became a regular ritual for me growing up.  I’ve known Mark Earby (Milligan) for over thirty years (I must be due an OBE surely?), and we got to know each other at school quoting bits from a book of vintage comedy scripts called ‘No More Curried Eggs For Me!’, so this all feels like second nature in a way.

What's your favourite moment involving The Goons?

I’d have to say the day I spent on a miniature steam railway with Spike Milligan and Michael Bentine.  As a member of the Goon Show Preservation Society (you got 50% discount on all snow purchases made in the Sahara Desert folks!) I was lucky enough to go to a re-christening ceremony on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Steam Railway.  I found myself sat with Spike and dear old Benters in one of the carriages.  I attempted to tell this genius a joke (of sorts!)…Oh, how we all laughed… (ahem)

What do The Goons mean to you today?

About three shillings a show – yes, the producers are paying us in 1956 currency!*  They had an immense impact on popular culture, not just comedy.  It’s arguable that most of what we have today in terms of humour, music, films and literature would not have come about in quite the way they have without ‘The Goon Show’.  More importantly, I would not be the man I am today without The Goons – I owe those gentlemen a huge debt of gratitude.

*In a memo I read in the BBC Written Archives centre from producer Peter Eton in July 1954 it is shown that Peter Sellers received £36 and 15d for each performance.  Spike Milligan earned £18 and 18d, but also received a share of £89 and 5d for the script.  The total budget for each show in 1954 came to around £316.

 FRED Theatre and Birmingham Comedy Festival present Spike Milligan's “The House of Teeth” and “The Jet-Propelled Guided NAAFI” (The Goon Show, 1956) at The Bear Pit Theatre from Wednesday 8 until Friday 10 February, at mac Birmingham Saturday 11 February and at Henry Tudor House in Shrewsbury on Sunday 12 February.