A standing ovation at a Fringe show speaks volumes. Paul Hendy’s (writer and director) The Last Laugh deserves loud applause and whoops of appreciation. It is funny and touching. The set is perfect, the lighting spot on and the performers are wonderful.
Bob Golding as Eric Morecambe has that lovely little bounce perfected; Damien Williams channels the late Tommy Cooper brilliantly and Simon Cartwright’s Bob Monkhouse looks and sounds just like the man himself, right down to the mahogany tan.
The warm-up music is a sound bath of Bernard Cribbins, which my neighbour joyously sang along with. Songs about a man digging a hole or Ernie and his horse and cart … there are few silly comedy songs these days, if any.
Aimed at a predominantly baby boomer audience with money to spare and time on their hands, this perfectly-crafted one-act play portrays these family favourites of the sixties and seventies and never misses a beat.
Available on YouTube for ever more, the timeless humour of these three men is accessible to all. Eric has a statue in his hometown of Morecambe. Not so, Tommy Cooper or Bob Monkhouse. But Jimmy Carr is our living tribute to Bob Monkhouse and Tommy Cooper was so unique, I cannot imagine his like again.
Hendy pays tribute to those inspirational comics who molded these three comedians with a nod to the likes of Syd James of the Carry On movies and the ukulele man who cleaned all those windows.
The Last Laugh is a warm, funny, nostalgic and poignant glimpse into rival comedians who were never rivals. It highlights their humanity and their support for one another. Comedy, and what makes a person funny, is the perfect theme for a Fringe show where hundreds of comic wannabes and established stand-ups flock together and vie for an audience, trying daily not to die on stage.
It’s wonderful. I highly recommend it, especially if you can actually remember the TV shows and Christmas specials featuring these funny men. All three were squeaky clean – ne’er a swear word in sight – and they knew how to make you laugh. Our three performers at the Assembly today certainly elicited laughter… and maybe they drew a little tear or two, too.
Reviewer: Kathleen Mansfield
Reviewed: 9th August 2024
North West End UK Rating: