Humphrey Ker is Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher!

While Marvel Studios spent umpteen millions giving Captain America the full Hollywood makeover, Humphrey Ker was putting together a very British kind of war hero, loosely based on his own grandfather, armed with just a set of old paratrooper fatigues, a lamp and some magic tricks. The special effects may not be as good but the 3D is excellent, given that Ker turns up and does it in person.

A sketch veteran with the Penny Dreadfuls, Ker’s solo show is a captivating hour of character-based tomfoolery, told via the plummy tones of Watson, a slightly geeky chap who meets a beautiful woman, is drafted into a secret unit and ends up single-handedly taking on a major Nazi compound – exactly the same plot as Captain America, in fact. This one is a lot more satisfying.

Ker’s show is brilliantly silly throughout–and beautifully played. The sheer quantity and quality of gags is impressive—a hit-rate right up there with early Luftwaffe—and Ker introduces a whole platoon of hammy personnel. Particularly splendid is the psychotic combat instructor whose raison d’etre is turning out that one sadistic soldier all movie armies seem to end up with. It’s bayonet-in-the-abdomen funny.

The dialogue zings with ludicrous similes and judicious swearing, and while there are hints of Armstrong and Miller’s street-talking pilots when he juxtaposes the stiff upper lip with modern slang, it’s a minor gripe. Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher is an almost-perfect hour of character comedy. There’s even a gag about comedy reviewers, involving swastikas – bet he enjoyed writing that one.