If you are not familiar with Arthur from the seven series and Christmas Specials of his BBC Radio 4 sitcom or his three series on BBC television or his multiple theatrical tours…where have you been? Created by Steve Delaney in the 1980s and launched upon an unsuspecting public in the ’90s at the Kings Head, Crouch End, Count Arthur Strong is essentially a rarely-employed but indomitable variety entertainer from a bygone era. These days, Arthur is a little bit…dotty!
Wildly eccentric, pedantic and strangely belligerent, Count Arthur Strong is a character-comedy creation entirely unique and idiosyncratic. When you think of other successful character comedy acts, like Dame Edna, Alan Partridge, Myra DuBois, they all have rather detailed back-stories and lore built up over the years. With Strong, the vagueness about who he is reflects, in a rather meta way, the rather foggy view that Arthur has of the world.
It is striking that while the audience for And It’s Goodnight from Him at Leicester Square Theatre was packed by ardent fans, it would be perfectly easy, even if you had never seen Count Arthur before, to watch this tour and not feel left out. No prior knowledge is required because the character lives in the moment – albeit a rather blurred, perplexing moment.
Despite playing to a generally older demographic, Strong sets the scene with a sui-generis rendition of P!nk’s Get The Party Started that won’t easily or quickly be forgotten.