Dead Funny

by Terry Johnson

In spite of my desperation I have been patient, in spite of my bewilderment I have been understanding, in spite of my feeling of utter abandonment ... I've been hanging on in there. Trying to help you come through this terrible thing. While Eleanor wants a child, her willing partner, Richard, is too busy running the Dead Funny Society. But in a week when British comedy heroes Frankie Howard and Benny Hill both kick the bucket, the society gather for a celebration, which promises to be full of hilarity and laughter – well, for everybody except the disgruntled Eleanor anyhow. Terry Johnson’s hilarious comedy of mortality and marriage was premiered at the Hampstead Theatre in January 1994. This edition was published for the West End revival in October 2016 at the Vaudeville Theatre, London.

Genres: Plays, Drama

114 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 1994

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Hiromi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong characters.
Eleanor wants a child but Richard doesn't want to have sex and they go through sex therapy. Their friends, the couple Lisa and Nick, and Brian gather at Richard's place to commemorate Benny Hill, a comedian that led their "Dead Funny" association. In the gathering, Lisa and Richard has an affair, Nick reveals to Richard that his kid is most likely not his, and Brian confesses that he is gay. Towards the end, Eleanor finds out about Richard and Lisa and decide to leave Richard, although she desperately want to stay with him and have a child.

[Bobby Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out pretty rough (a play about Benny Hill fans? Really?) But it definitely got better in Act 2. By the end, it was downright sweet.

[Trent · Rating 1 out of 5]

Started off ok, then lost me at the Benny Hill party. Gave up during the scene with the Japanese stereotype talk.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently saw a production of this play at Third Rail Repertory Theater here in Portland and thought it was brilliant. I always have a hard time rating a play until I see it performed because I feel like so much is lost without its intended medium, but on the other hand, I love performance so much that I wonder if my ratings of the plays I do see are slightly exaggerated. The play itself was bitter and hilarious, and contained the most alarmingly serious food fight I've ever witnessed. A good one for anyone who likes their slapstick to be a two-by-four with a rusty nail in the end of it.