Simon Cartwright Archives - North West End UK

24Sep

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

The Last Laugh – Liverpool Playhouse

Paul Hendy’s The Last Laugh arrives at the Liverpool Playhouse as both tribute and portrait of three of Britain’s most iconic comedians – Tommy Cooper (Damian Williams), Eric Morecambe (Bob Golding) and Bob Monkhouse (Simon Cartwright) with an imagined meeting of the three in a slightly dilapidated dressing room of an unknown theatre. It’s a warm-hearted evening and our trio of actors are clearly accomplished mimics. However, with a sense that the show is a bit of an excuse to show off these talents, the show occasionally struggles as it slips uneasily between original theatre, greatest-hits homage and meandering biographical lecture. Each actor has an expert ear for the vocal cadence and physical timing of our comedians, honed through their own solo tribute shows, making the imper...

17Sep

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Last Laugh – Alhambra Bradford

Sad clown paradox is actually a syndrome where comedians with early life feelings of deprivation and isolation use an audience as a release so they can remove feelings of suppressed physical rage through getting laughs. Paul Hendy’s ingenious idea to explore this paradox by imagining a meeting of seventies comedy titans Bob Monkhouse, Eric Morecombe and Tommy Cooper in a rundown dressing room as the lights flicker spookily. Trapped together, these troubled and driven funny men engage in a game of comedy one-upmanship as they slowly reveal the demons eating away at all three of them. Along the way Hendy subtly analyses the eternal question of what is funny, and who better to do than three men who dominated primetime TV in very different ways. Cooper was a physical comic who just had t...

30Jul

By Philip EdwardsNo Comments

North West

The Last Laugh – Manchester Opera House

It is a well-known fact that most comedians have an insecurity caused by and driven by the need to get the next laugh. Tony Hancock for example paid the ultimate price in his strive to stay funny. It is fuelled by the need to build on the success they have already built. It is an anxiety shared by the three comic greats we see presented on stage in Paul Hendy’s touching script though how they deal with it is very different. All three come from the first generation of comedians to transition from the age of music hall to the age of television. In music hall, comics often toured the same material for years, but once seen on television, that material becomes yesterday’s chip paper and the need to create new, funnier comedy drives the insecurity to get the next laugh. There can ...

23Jul

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

The Last Laugh – Alexandra, Birmingham

I was in Morocco once (hold on - this’ll make sense) and came across a market stall selling fezes. The stall holder asked me where I was from. I said, “UK” where upon he put on a fez and said, “Just like that!” I asked him if he knew what that meant. He shrugged and said, “No, but everyone who comes from UK puts on a fez and says, “Just like that!’” And we still do. Forty years after the death of the comic we’re imitating. Such is the impression he made and the impressions being made tonight at the Alexandra will surely be spoken for the same length of time. Three stalwarts of comedy who dominated the light entertainment landscape for many years are here evoked with uncanny accuracy by three comedy stalwarts who have to be seen to be believed. Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkh...

19Jun

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

The Last Laugh – Richmond Theatre

The Last Laugh is a fast-paced and nostalgic stage show that transports audiences back in time to celebrate three of Britain’s finest comedians: Tommy Cooper, portrayed by Damian Williams; Eric Morecambe, brought to life by Bob Golding; and Bob Monkhouse, played by Simon Cartwright. From the moment the curtain rises, the energy is palpable, and what immediately stands out is how astonishingly accurate each actor is in embodying the comedian they represent. Their mastery of the mannerisms, voices, and comedic timing is so convincing that it genuinely feels like you are watching the real legends share the stage together. One of the show’s greatest strengths is how it seamlessly blends homage with humour. The script incorporates many of the comedians' iconic catchphrases and inside jokes—m...

Howerd’s End – The Golden Goose, Camberwell

9Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

Howerd’s End – The Golden Goose, Camberwell

Howerd’s End is a heartfelt story of love, acceptance and the use of humour as a way of masking the truth and revealing it. An emotional story of the story of a deceased popular comedian who comes back to visit his long time romantic and life partner, to go through an emotional journey through self love and self discovery and acceptance; in regards of sexuality, age, societal relevance and value. It encourages the audience to live life well, to let go of regrets and self doubt which are holding you back and explore the depth inside themselves. The show had regular laughs throughout and the comedic timing of both Simon Cartwright and Mark Farrelly was consistently great as well as their ability to hold tension in the room. This story also portrays how vulnerable comedians can be; neuroti...