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 be no doubt that the characters we meet here are much beloved. Tommy Cooper for his bumbling, magic goes wrong comedy. Eric Morecambe, along with his stage partner Ernie Wise (unseen but referred to) for their anarchic, yet comforting comedy and Bob Monkhouse, the suave sophisticate who took stand-up comedy to a different level.

As much as “The Last Laugh” is a celebration of each comedian’s greatest hits, the ovation when Eric Morecambe delivers one of his most celebrated lines, is a testament to the greatness of those creations. The play also serves to dig below the surface of the laughs discover what formed the very different styles of each of their comic creations. We discover that of the three, Bob Monkhouse is the only one who really created his own material. For sure Morecambe and Wise created the ideas but left it to writers to flesh out those ideas and then Tommy Cooper, who admits to pinching jokes, but presenting them with his own inimitable style.

One of the many strengths of this production is the way the stories of all three men are woven together and despite the differing styles wanted and lived to make us laugh.   

Our comedy heroes are presented by Damien Williams as Tommy Cooper, Simon Cartwright as Bob Monkhouse and Bob Golding as Eric Morecambe and I will not single out one performer, for they are all so well matched and equally brilliant in their skill of touching the identity of each character, but fleshing that out in a sustainable way that does not get in the way of the narrative.

This play is a comedy masterclass on two levels, first of all we learn how each comic honed a joke, but we also saw three very accomplished actors deliver that material.   

A simple, but atmospheric set, designed by Lee Newby should be noted for its practical setting, whilst giving the viewer a reassuring sense of what we expect a run-down dressing room to look like. The sound and lighting design provide some surprising effects which well suit the atmosphere.   

Finally, to author and director Paul Hendy who has fashioned a production that both cleverly embraces and clearly loves the source of his play but also challenges the preconceptions about life as a top flight comedian.

Quite simply a comedy masterclass.

The show runs until Saturday 2nd August at Manchester Opera House. https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester  Then on tour to Guildford, Cardiff, Southend, Blackpool Bradford and Liverpool.  

Reviewer: Phil Edwards

Reviewed: 29th July 2025

North West End UK Rating: