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The Twat in the Flat
Twat is the Flat is an anarchic reimagining of Dr Seuss's Cat in the Hat. Deploying an alternative narrative to create an uproarious illustrated book for adults. Part parody, part homage, Twat in the Flat has all the off beat humour of the original, but you will probably not be reading it to your children at bedtime!
- GenresPoetry
64 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2015
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 20, 2019
Note: In the UK, “twat” is only mildly, jokingly derogatory and it rhymes with "flat" (which is equivalent to "apartment" in AmE).
Some books are best performed, or at least, read aloud. It’s usually true of good children’s picture books, especially if they’re in verse. The Cat in the Hat is a prime example.
This is an adult book that I first encountered when performed by the poet. It is a close parody of The Cat in the Hat in terms of rhythm, feel, sounds, and illustrations.
The Cat brings fun and excitement to children who are merely a little bored.
But the Twat from the flat above is a less benign visitor from the start, pushing drugs to the penniless tenants, whose pet is a roach, rather than a goldfish.
This is dark, but it’s still a funny book; you could easily call it puerile, but that’s too pejorative for something so carefully crafted. But you need to be in the right mood.
I bought a physical copy, and although I could no longer hear Allnutt’s voice, the rhythm was familiar, and the book has pictures (which, of course, the stage version did not need). Here's a short video of Allnutt performing another work, so you get a feel for him: here.
An unexpected enjoyment was revisiting a book I loved reading to my child, years ago, but in a subversive way. It was also fun to recognise the many precise similarities, even before I picked up The Cat in the Hat to confirm - and to enjoy all over again.
If I read this cold, it would probably be 3*, but having seen and heard it first, it’s 4* for me.
Nevertheless, the Cat wins by more than a whisker: strange to say, it’s subtler! Yes, it has garish colours and silly rhymes, but the actual story is more nuanced in terms of the rights and wrongs of the fun on offer.
Some books are best performed, or at least, read aloud. It’s usually true of good children’s picture books, especially if they’re in verse. The Cat in the Hat is a prime example.
This is an adult book that I first encountered when performed by the poet. It is a close parody of The Cat in the Hat in terms of rhythm, feel, sounds, and illustrations.
The Cat brings fun and excitement to children who are merely a little bored.
But the Twat from the flat above is a less benign visitor from the start, pushing drugs to the penniless tenants, whose pet is a roach, rather than a goldfish.
This is dark, but it’s still a funny book; you could easily call it puerile, but that’s too pejorative for something so carefully crafted. But you need to be in the right mood.
I bought a physical copy, and although I could no longer hear Allnutt’s voice, the rhythm was familiar, and the book has pictures (which, of course, the stage version did not need). Here's a short video of Allnutt performing another work, so you get a feel for him: here.
An unexpected enjoyment was revisiting a book I loved reading to my child, years ago, but in a subversive way. It was also fun to recognise the many precise similarities, even before I picked up The Cat in the Hat to confirm - and to enjoy all over again.
If I read this cold, it would probably be 3*, but having seen and heard it first, it’s 4* for me.
Nevertheless, the Cat wins by more than a whisker: strange to say, it’s subtler! Yes, it has garish colours and silly rhymes, but the actual story is more nuanced in terms of the rights and wrongs of the fun on offer.
May 29, 2016
Look at that title! This is the story of a skint couple, a twat, drugs, booze and a very wise roach. Pretty funny, but the artwork could be a lot better.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews