British Indian actor makes West End debut with anti-war satire ‘Dr Strangelove’

London: A British Indian actor is making a dream West End debut as a much-anticipated stage adaptation of celebrated American filmmaker Stanley Kubrick’s 1960s black comedy ‘Dr Strangelove’ opens in London on Friday.

Dharmesh Patel, at home with Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) productions across the UK, is taking on a new challenge as Lincoln – a character caught in a series of dilemmas in the timeless tale of war and hubris.

Adapted for the stage by well-known Scottish political satirist Armando Iannucci and comedian Sean Foley, the new production is helmed by popular English actor-comedian Steve Coogan in the role essayed by Peter Sellers in the film.

“I have always been a fan of Armando Iannucci and when I heard that he had adapted the script for this production alongside Sean Foley, I wanted to be a part of it. I would also have to say the lure of a West End production for any actor is high on the list and I’m proud to say this is my West End debut,” Patel told PTI ahead of opening night.

“We need dark comedies. History is filled with mistakes that human beings never seem to learn from and if we don’t laugh then we cry. A dark comedy allows us to look at situations and sheds light on the absurdity of it,” he said.

Born to immigrant parents, Patel spent his childhood helping in a family shop but found himself drawn to the theatre.

“My parents came to this country with very little but created a life for us that we embrace. They worked very hard and instilled that work ethic into us. My siblings and I spent our childhoods working in a shop and helping the family business, so I now spend my adulthood dressing up and entertaining people,” he said.

For the RSC, Patel has been involved with a series of high-profile Shakespeare tragedies and comedies as well as a variety of roles in television shows.

“For me, comedy and tragedy go hand in hand, you can’t have one without the other. I love making people laugh but I also love when I can make an audience sympathise with a villain because it means I’ve drawn out the human element to the character. I love both equally,” he shared.

With ‘Dr Strangelove’ on in the West End of London until the end of January 2025 before going on tour, Patel is enjoying the camaraderie of the team as they collectively cope with the dark subject matter of nuclear war.

“When you are in the presence of great professionals it makes you better. You learn new things, you adapt what you know and you present something that you are proud of. We laugh a lot as a company, but we support each other both on and off stage to give the best we can,” he added.

Kubrick’s film, which itself was based on the novel ‘Red Alert’, satirises the Cold War era between the US and the Soviet Union when the concept of mutually assured destruction paved the way for a proliferation of dangerous weapons. It attracted a slew of Oscar nominations at the time and was named the Best British Film at the BAFTA Awards in 1965.