Garry Starr returns to London’s West End this February as his hit comedy Garry Starr: Classic Penguins transfers to the 700-seat Garrick Theatre for four performances.
Following a sell-out extended run at the Arts Theatre, the acclaimed show continues to draw rave audience response and critical praise for its dazzlingly silly, anarchic celebration of the written word.
Created by Damien Warren-Smith and directed by Cal McCrystal, Classic Penguins follows its hapless hero on a mission to perform every Penguin Classic ever written — mostly naked, armed with flippers, and fuelled by gleeful irreverence. Blending slapstick, physical theatre and unhinged clowning, the show skewers literary pretension while joyfully celebrating storytelling at its most ridiculous.
In true Garry Starr fashion, the transfer comes with an audacious twist. Ahead of the Garrick run, Starr has formally submitted a Guinness World Record application for the “longest cumulative time of full-frontal nudity in a West End stage show.” The mandatory 12-week verification process is now underway, potentially recognising him for taking artistic exposure to new heights in the name of great literature.
Speaking about the West End transfer, Garry Starr said: “You are witnessing theatrical history. Having already travelled from Australia to Edinburgh Fringe to the West End, Classic Penguins’ popularity has grown so rapidly that we’re now moving to the iconic Garrick Theatre. What’s more, I believe that by the end of this run I will have spent more time (tastefully) naked on a West End stage than any other performer before me. Talk about artistic exposure!”
Already a decorated hit on the international festival circuit, Classic Penguins has won a string of accolades including Most Outstanding Show at Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2025, Best Comedy at Adelaide Fringe 2025, Best Comedy Show at Fringe World 2025, and a Malcolm Hardee Award in 2024.
The show is produced by Francesca Moody Productions’, the team behind Fleabag, Baby Reindeer, and Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder.
Strictly 18+ the 70 minute show will run at the Garrick Theatre on Sunday 1, 8, 15 & 22 February 2026.
Book Garry Starr: Classic Penguins tickets in London’s West End.
The Other Palace, London
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