Kafka's Dick at Watford Palace

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An hilarious comedy by one of Britain's most renowned authors. Kafka's Dick is a scream from curtain up to the last curtain call.

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What Flea thought of it

........by our performing arts reviewer

Kafka’s Dick – If you like a sore belly from constant laughter - then don’t miss this show !!!

An evening of irresistible pleasure, hilarity and madness was in store for me last night at the Watford Palace Theatre. So much fun and laughter beginning to end, I didn’t even want to stop for an interval. Blow the ice cream, I was well and truly cheered up as I knew I would be.

I’ve always enjoyed Alan Bennett’s work, and fondly remember the talking heads monologues particularly. I’m left now only imagining Franz Kafka sharing his awkward yet treasured lines with us in this unique and eccentric style, “silly me”.

Adrian Lukis portrayed Franz Kafka brilliantly. I remember Adrian for his serious GP role in Peak Practice. However, he played the funny yet challenging role of Kafka effortlessly. So much so, I want to go and see Adrian perform on stage again because television doesn’t come close to capturing the stage presence of a live performance. I also want to highly praise the remaining actors for their most excellent contributions.

Benedict Sandiford was hilarious as Max Brod and made the Max and Kafka pairing a delight to watch. Bruce Alexander played Sydney with energy, humour and flair. Victoria Carling played Linda and is an inspiration to all actors and actresses who watch her. She charmed us all, not just Kafka and Max Brod with her humorous house keeping. I just couldn’t wait for father played by the unstoppable Ian Lindsay, to keep coming in and out of the lounge to recite what he’d learnt in an effort to prove he wasn’t losing his marbles.

As you can tell by now, Kafka’s Dick appeals to a wide audience with its fantastic script, jokes in abundance and a good variety of props, especially the tortoise!. Above all of this though, scratching away under the surface is a definite sensitivity and sadness which is portrayed throughout by all the players except Kafka’s father, Hermann played by Paul Clayton. He was eerie yet mesmerising. I’ll especially remember the show-stopping final costumes worn by him and Linda. What a bold character he was, but if he’d been the shy, retiring type, we can only guess how Franz Kafka would have turned out.

With non-stop wall-to-wall laughter from the moment the curtain rose to the wonderfully unexpected and sparkly end, you really must go and see it !

Once again, another Watford Palace Theatre production receiving all the credit and applause it deserved. Well done to everyone involved for making Kafka’s dick, one dick to remember.

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Kafka’s Dick explores our attitudes to fame and celebrity: It's 1919 and in Prague, Czech writer Franz Kafka is dying. His best friend and editor, Max Brod reluctantly agrees to burn all of Kafka's unpublished work. In present day suburban England, Linda and her Kafka-obsessed husband Sydney are astonished when Max Brod turns up on their doorstep, shortly to be followed by Kafka himself. Kafka's overbearing father and Sydney's confused one, not to mention the tortoise, complete the cast of Bennett's surreal and hilarious farce.

Sarah Esdaile directs. Her work includes The Grouch at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Coyote on a Fence at Manchester Royal Exchange and The Duchess Theatre in the West End (Winner of M.E.N Award for Best Fringe Production of 2004), Young People's Taming of the Shrew at the RSC and James and the Giant Peach (Octagon, Bolton), winner of M.E.N Award for Best Family Show of 2007. She was also an Associate Director with the RSC on Michael Boyd’s Olivier Award winning productions of Henry VI parts I, II and III and Richard III.

The design is by Neil Irish whose national and International work includes Woyzeck (New York), Shape Of Things (Istanbul) and Silver Birch House at the Arcola. Neil has designed operas in both America and across Europe. His recent work includes Carmen in New Zealand.

Simon Slater composed the music for Kafka’s Dick. Simon has worked with Sarah on thirteen shows, including The Grouch, James and the Giant Peach and Coyote on a Fence. His television work includes two series of BBC’s Dalziel and Pascoe and a film for Channel 5, Impact Earth.

Lighting designer Malcolm Rippeth's numerous credits include Brief Encounter, currently in the West End at the Haymarket Cinema and Six Characters in Search of An Author at the Chichester Festival Theatre.

Joyce Henderson’s movement credits include The Taming of the Shrew (RSC); Dido and Aeneas (Vienna Festival) and Julius Caesar (Barbican). Her film credits include Stella Does Tricks; About A Boy and The Queen.

Kafka is played by Adrian Lukis, best known for his role of Dr Shearer in Carlton Television’s Peak Practice and George Wickham in BBC’s Pride and Prejudice. His stage work includes Cloaca, directed by Kevin Spacey, and The Philadelpha Story, directed by Jerry Zaks, both at the Old Vic. Bruce Alexander will play Sydney. Bruce has starred alongside David Jason as Supt. Mullett in Granada's A Touch of Frost since 1992. His stage work includes the Headmaster in Bennett's The History Boys at the National theatre. Recent stage work includes Lord Charles Brocket in Life after Scandal at Hampstead Theatre and Ray Ray in The Reporter at the National Theatre's Cottesloe. Benedict Sandiford plays Brod. He recently appeared in ITV’s Whistle Blowers and his stage credits include Spring and Port Wine and Falling Over England. Victoria Carling is Linda. She has appeared in BBC’s Judge John Deed and ITV’s Holby City. Her recent stage work includes Mrs McGee in Corpse at Salisbury Playhouse and Pomegranate at Manchester Royal Exchange. Ian Lindsay returns to Watford Palace Theatre to play Father, following his appearance in A Small Family Business last autumn. He is best known as George in the BBC’s Men Behaving Badly. His stage work includes King Lear at the Brockley Jack Theatre and Twelfth Night at Bristol Old Vic. Paul Clayton plays Hermann Kafka. His recent television appearances include BBC’s Dr Who, Hotel Babylon and Channel 4’s Peep Show. He also appeared in the 2001 film Ali G in Da House and Fakers (2002). Stage work includes When We Were Married at York Theatre Royal and Scissor Happy at the Duchess Theatre.

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