• Support Wokingham Today
  • Get the print edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Friday, June 20, 2025
Wokingham.Today
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • All
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
    • Riseley
    • Shinfield
    • Sindlesham
    • Sonning
    • Spencers Wood
    • Swallowfield
    • Three Mile Cross
    • Twyford
    • Wargrave
    • Winnersh
    • Wokingham
    • Wokingham Without
    • Woodley
    • Woosehill
    • Yateley
    Honesty is set to open in Wokingham town centre. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    New cafe set to open in Wokingham town hall

    McDonald's in Wokingham

    Countdown is on for McDonald’s in Wokingham as opening date revealed

    The borough's Hong Kong community is dismayed and fearful about what a Government white paper will mean for them. Picture: Emma Merchant

    ‘Please don’t abandon us’, says borough’s Hong Kong community

    Premier division action from the Bracknell Sunday League. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Line-up revealed for Bracknell Sunday League

    8-10 High Street image of proposed flats, credit Husbands and Partners Architects

    Major town centre flats plan refused by council

    An art exhibition in Wokingham Library shows off the talents of CLASP Wokingham members. Pictures: Emma Merchant

    Every picture tells a story: CLASP artists display their work

    Amazing prizes are up for grabs, including at the Oakingham Belle.

    Your chance to win a wedge

    The council is asking for your help.

    Still time to complete budget survey

    Last year Adblock Reading & Wokingham, part of the Adfree Cities group, raised a petition against the installation of digital ad screens at Wokingham bus shelters. The issue will be discussed  this month.

    Naturally Speaking: Are digital ads unhelpful?

  • SPORT
    • All
    • Binfield FC
    • Reading FC
    Reading FC

    ‘Worst kit we’ve ever had’: Reading FC fans give mixed reactions to release of new home kit

    Jon Dadi Bodvarsson

    Former Reading FC striker released by League One club

    Reading FC Women

    ‘We want to do more to help them, but we have a list of priorities’: Rob Couhig speaks on Reading FC Women

    Premier division action from the Bracknell Sunday League. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Line-up revealed for Bracknell Sunday League

    Ruben Selles

    Former Reading FC boss Ruben Selles appointed as Sheffield United manager

    Reading FC co-owners Todd Trosclair and Rob Couhig

    Reading FC making ‘very good progress on players’ says co-owner

    Paudie O'Connor Picture: Wikimedia Commons

    Reading FC set to sign Lincoln City captain on free transfer

    Ruben Selles

    Former Reading FC boss front runner for top Championship job

    Rob Couhig

    Reading FC owner Rob Couhig: ‘Our transfer window has the potential to be spectacular’

  • READING FC
  • COMMUNITY

    Come and Give WADE a Try!

    Honesty is set to open in Wokingham town centre. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    New cafe set to open in Wokingham town hall

    The borough's Hong Kong community is dismayed and fearful about what a Government white paper will mean for them. Picture: Emma Merchant

    ‘Please don’t abandon us’, says borough’s Hong Kong community

    An art exhibition in Wokingham Library shows off the talents of CLASP Wokingham members. Pictures: Emma Merchant

    Every picture tells a story: CLASP artists display their work

    Amazing prizes are up for grabs, including at the Oakingham Belle.

    Your chance to win a wedge

    The council is asking for your help.

    Still time to complete budget survey

    Last year Adblock Reading & Wokingham, part of the Adfree Cities group, raised a petition against the installation of digital ad screens at Wokingham bus shelters. The issue will be discussed  this month.

    Naturally Speaking: Are digital ads unhelpful?

    The Redan on Peach Street, Wokingham.

    ‘Noise nuisance’ review for pub

    Blandy & Blandy?s chair, Claire Dyer, a partner and head of the firm?s Family Law team, presented a cheque to both charities earlier this month.

    Law firm donates to local charities

  • LIFESTYLE
    • All
    • Food
    • Health
    • Obituaries
    • People
    Honesty is set to open in Wokingham town centre. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    New cafe set to open in Wokingham town hall

    McDonald's in Wokingham

    Countdown is on for McDonald’s in Wokingham as opening date revealed

    Amazing prizes are up for grabs, including at the Oakingham Belle.

    Your chance to win a wedge

    The Redan on Peach Street, Wokingham.

    ‘Noise nuisance’ review for pub

    Blandy & Blandy?s chair, Claire Dyer, a partner and head of the firm?s Family Law team, presented a cheque to both charities earlier this month.

    Law firm donates to local charities

    Peter Lean

    The project, organised by Wokingham Lions Club started in March 2024.

    Two new shops to host share bins

    Health secretary Wes Streeting with Yuan Yang MP.

    MP celebrates falling waiting lists

    Images from the Mindset Unlimited Festival. Pic: Stewart Turkington.

    A treat for your mind and body

  • WHAT’S ON
    • All
    • Arts
    • Entertainment
    Shaun the Sheep Picture: Pixabay

    Shaun the Sheep flocks to Reading town centre this summer

    The event is at Dinton Pastures Country Park..

    Celebrating dads with free family fun day

    More than 6,000 people are expected to attend the event.

    Woodley Carnival returns on Saturday

    A series of short horror films made by local filmmakers will be shown at Reading's Biscuit Factory on July 17. Picture: Alexander Krivitskiy via Unsplash

    Local filmmakers bring spooky horror shorts to Reading Biscuit Factory

    The summer show is happening on Saturday.

    Vote for your favourites at Twyford summer show

    Steam railways

    Steam specials to depart from Reading in railway’s 200th year

    BWCB, here in rehearsal, will perform a night of movie music in July. Picture BWCB

    Enjoy a film music night for charity

    An afternoon of jazz and afternoon tea will raise funds for The Cowshed in July. Picture: Zeno Aras via Unsplash

    Uplifting July jazz afternoon promises to fizz in Waltham St Lawrence

    The Bucket List Wishes Summer Festival is taking place at Highfield Park, Hook, from 2.30pm-10.30pm on Saturday, July 5.

    Bucket List Wishes Summer Festival to return in July

  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT
No Result
View All Result
Wokingham.Today
No Result
View All Result
Home Featured

Have we got news for you: Private Eye editor Ian Hislop’s new play celebrates life of Goon Show star Spike Milligan

by Phil Creighton
January 26, 2022
in Featured
Spike opens at The Watermill in Newbury this week Picture: Pamela Raith

Spike opens at The Watermill in Newbury this week Picture: Pamela Raith

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A NEW play co-written by the editor of Private Eye will look at the life of much-loved silly man Spike Milligan.

The Watermill in Newbury is premièring the work, simply called Spike, from Thursday this week.

Set nearly 70 years ago, it looks at the life and times of the comedian, as he pushes the boundaries of taste and decency, all the name of getting a laugh.

At the time, radio dominated our homes rather than the gogglebox, and the nation rushed home to listen to the antics of The Goon Show, starring Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Michael Benetine and, of course, Spike.

While the rest of the team are happy being overnight celebrities, Spike, the show’s chief writer, Spike finds himself pushing the boundaries of comedy, and testing the patience of the BBC.

Flanked by his fellow Goons and bolstered by the efforts of irrepressible sound assistant Janet, Spike takes a flourishing nosedive off the cliffs of respectability, and mashes up his haunted past to create the comedy of the future.

Related posts

Come and Give WADE a Try!

‘Worst kit we’ve ever had’: Reading FC fans give mixed reactions to release of new home kit

Will Spike’s dogged obsession with finding the funny elevate The Goons to soaring new heights, or will the whole thing come crashing down with the stroke of a potato peeler?

Of course, with the benefit of history on our side, we know how the story unfolds: The Goons have become part of our national fabric, and Spike is still celebrated today, even though his gravestone sadly says, ‘I told you I was ill’.

Spike is co-written by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman, and it is directed by Paul Hart.

The cast includes Stephen Fry as the BBC announcer, while Olivier Award-winning actor John Dagleish is Spike.

Joining him is TV comedian Margaret Cabourn-Smith (Motherland, Miranda, Buffering) as Janet, George Kemp (recently seen in Bridgerton, and soon to star in Amazon’s Call My Agent) as Peter Sellers, Jeremy Lloyd (The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, Trial by Laughter) as Harry Secombe, James Mack (The Watermill’s The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Rivals, Macbeth and Journey’s End) as Denis Main-Wilson / Peter Eton, Ellie Morris (The Play That Goes Wrong, Mischief Movie Night, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery for Mischief Theatre company) playing ‘June’ and Robert Mountford (The Habit of Art, The Haunting of Alice Bowles for Original Theatre Company, House and Garden for The Watermill) as BBC Executive.

Ian and Nick said: “Writing Spike gave us the opportunity to celebrate the genius of the founding father of modern comedy, explore what inspired him and steal all his jokes”.

And Paul Hart was thrilled to bring the show to life.

“It’s been great to work with Ian and Nick on this homage to one of the most iconic voices in modern comedy. The play will commemorate 20 years since his death (he’s still ill then?) and will be equally good fun to those who know the Goons and to audiences who are new to Spike’s distinctive brand of humour. And how we all need a laugh at the moment.”

The show runs until March 5, and The Watermill has a number of measures in place to ensure the site is covid-safe.

To help audiences to book with confidence, The Watermill operates a flexible booking policy. In the event that their booking is affected by Covid-19, audience members will be offered a ticket exchange, account credit or refund.

For more details, or to book, log on to www.watermill.org.uk, or call the box office on: 01635 46044.

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Previous Post

Free course in Earley to help people manage their money

Next Post

Two children among injured as cars catch fire in four-car collision at Coppid Beech Roundabout

FOLLOW US

POPULAR THIS WEEK

Shaun the Sheep Picture: Pixabay

Shaun the Sheep flocks to Reading town centre this summer

June 15, 2025
The summer show is happening on Saturday.

Vote for your favourites at Twyford summer show

June 13, 2025

Phone fines for drivers on the rise

June 15, 2025
TRIPPS Removals is launching a new Moving Stories campaign, which will recognise and celebrate individuals across Berkshire who make a difference in their communities. Picture: Tripps Removals

Berkshire heroes to be celebrated with Moving Stories awards

June 14, 2025
Ruben Selles

Former Reading FC boss front runner for top Championship job

June 17, 2025
Paudie O'Connor Picture: Wikimedia Commons

Reading FC set to sign Lincoln City captain on free transfer

June 17, 2025

ABOUT US

Wokingham Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Wokingham. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Wokingham Borough.

Wokingham.Today is a Social Enterprise and aims to ensure that everyone within the Borough has free access to independent and up-to-date news. However, providing this service is not without costs. If you are able to, please make a contribution to support our work.

CONTACT US

[email protected]

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

  • Support Us
  • Book Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: [email protected], or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
  • COMMUNITY
  • LIFESTYLE
  • SPORT
  • READING FC
  • OBITUARIES
  • WHAT’S ON
  • JOBS
  • PHOTOS
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • CONTACT US
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION
  • SUPPORT US

© 2022 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.