Wilko – Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch

A story about embracing life against the odds, Wilko is a feelgood story featuring Dr. Feelgood’s distinctive guitarist.

Wilko

“A Christmas Carol with guitars and cancer.”  As one of London’s biggest fans of A Christmas Carol (probably), it’s a line that jumped out at me.  But although there are parallels (ghosts, enlightenment and so on) we’re not here to talk about Charles Dickens and Ebenezer Scrooge.  We’re here to talk about Wilko Johnson and Dr. Feelgood.

It’s a story that starts at the end, or almost.  In 2012 Wilko Johnson (born John Wilkinson), guitarist in Dr. Feelgood and The Blockheads amongst other musical pursuits, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  Doctors estimated he had a year to live, at most.  But Wilko’s reaction maybe isn’t what you would expect.  He didn’t seek treatment or let the diagnosis defeat him.  Instead he decided to embrace his remaining months amongst the people and places that meant the most to him.  Of course, being a famous musician gives these choices a particular spin.  Wilko recorded an album with Roger Daltrey and went on tour, for instance.  But there is nonetheless something we can aspire to in his outlook on life.  And the story of what happened next is remarkable.

But after the end (almost), we go back to the beginning.  The first half of Wilko plays out like a biography.  Or a musical biography.  Let’s settle on a biography with songs.  Wilko’s path from difficult childhood to marriage and university to giving up teaching and becoming a professional musician.  The highs and lows of life in a band.  And of marriage. Endings and partings of ways.

In the second half we return to the remarkable ending of a life, but with the knowledge of all that formed Wilko’s outlook, helped him to live in the moment, and to embrace his final months (or more) with open arms.  By the interval I felt a little disappointed that we had been treated to more or less straightforward biography.  The second half brings balance and a sense of why this story has been brought to the stage.

Part Theatre, Part Gig

It’s Jonathan Maitland who has taken on the task of bringing Wilko Johnson’s story to the stage.  He worked closely with Wilko on it, although the man himself didn’t live to see this world premiere at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch. There’s a moment where we hear from Wilko in the form of a recording, however. 

But for the most part it’s Johnson Willis (great name for this role) who brings Wilko to life.  He’s supported by Georgina Fairbanks as Wilko’s wife Irene, Georgina Field as Dr. Feelgood bassist Sparko, John House as singer Lee Brilleaux, and David John as drummer Big Figure.  All aside from Willis play additional roles.  But you may notice I’ve named all Dr. Feelgood members there, and that’s no accident: the cast have pulled off a rather impressive feat of forming a band as well as performing a play.  Dr. Feelgood fans will love Wilko, particularly seeing the actors embody the each band member’s mannerisms.

Ultimately Wilko is great storytelling, great music and plenty of personality.  Wilko’s literary background means there are allusions, citations and connections sprinkled through the text, but it’s theatre that has the warmth of nostalgia rather than the shock of the new.  Those Christmas Carol ghosts are somewhat odd choices for exposition given what we are told about Wilko’s beliefs, and in the end I really did want a bit more on his bold existential choices and a bit less of the trip down memory lane. And at two hours plus it’s perhaps a little on the long side for my liking, but director Dugald Bruce-Lockhart keeps the story moving and balances the lighter moments with the serious.  I did like the versatile set design by Nicolai Hart-Hansen, flexing from rock gig to Newcastle dorm to beach front without ever allowing hospital corridors to venture too far from our minds. 

If you like your theatre to be entertaining, with some music you can bob your head to, then Wilko is a great pick.  And his outlook on life is something we could all aspire to.

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 3.5/5

Wilko on until 24 February 2024. More info here, including on various accessible options.