I probably should have guessed from the name, but there was nothing that could have prepared me for what Frank Sanazi’s musical comedy had in store. (Warning: this show is NOT for those who are easily offended, particularly by Second World War references.) As a member of the Iraq Pack, Sanazi brings his staunch, in-your-face comedy to the stage through the jaunty rhythms of a 1950s Swing band. Sanazi pokes fun at history’s most famous German dictator through a mixture of puns, slapstick and musical numbers, as well as mocking some more contemporary dictatorships including North Korea, the former Iraq and China (and of course America).
Though the puns become a little tiresome after a while and Nancy Sanazi (Frank’s Daughter) is slow to begin her segment until she jumps into an erratic parody of being a dumb blonde. The musical numbers provided are funny nevertheless, and are enough to get the crowd going (and saluting, as Sanazi will have his audience do). Aside from the two Sanazis, the stage is home to a troupe of showgirls including ‘Anne Stank’, ‘Brat Worst’ and ‘Crimson Skye’, all of whom are enjoyable for their musical comedic numbers, including an amusing rendition of an Amy Winehouse tune.
The attention to costume detail and props is complemented by the adequately synchronised sound and lighting, all of which raise the quality of the show’s comedy. Whilst the puns can be amusing, the unintended comedy becomes more of a focus as being more enjoyable, whilst the best praise of the show can be given to its musical numbers such as ‘Sieg Hiel With Me’, ‘Strangers on My Flight’ and an amusing rendition of Frank Sinatra’s ‘New York’; all of the acts sing exceptionally well. The night ends with an erotic strip tease from Crimson Skye, which, despite not having much to do with the rest of the show, is pretty damn sexy. A worthwhile show that will appeal to adult audiences and anti-political-correctness proponents, this show is a funny combination of comedy with music that I found most entertaining.
