On paper, three men recreating three icons of British comedy of the caliber of Cooper, Monkhouse and Morecambe, on stage should be a catastrophic disaster - but what ensued was one of the greatest nights of comedy I've seen in a while.
The Last Laugh is described as a 'laugh-a-minute play' which reimagines the lives of three of Britain's comedy heroes – Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse.
When I say icon's, that's a phrase that's incredibly overused - but I think you'd struggle to overestimate the impact these three individuals had on comedy during their reign. They were at the top of their respective games for decades and were some of the last of a generation of 'old skool' comedians to grace our screens.
Whether it was a stroke of luck, or an intentional coup, the make-up of this show is perfect. The three protagonists are representative of three distinct styles of comedy. Cooper was a more physical stand-up, whilst Morecambe is best known as one half of the greatest double-act of all time. Monkhouse sits somewhere in the middle - probably best known to most for his work as a TV host, he was a lover of the art of comedy, analysing why things were funny and crafting jokes that, by his own admission, he would labour over for hours.
Cooper and Morecambe died within months of each other in 1984, whilst Monkhouse passed away aged 75 in 2003 - so to see them portrayed in a (fictitious) dressing room story is a dream. However, whilst circumstance and material play a part, it's the cast on stage who hold this piece together. Plucked from various one-man shows where they portrayed their alter ego, the performances given this evening were on another level.
Damian Williams takes on Tommy Cooper - a role which is arguably the hardest to portray. Cooper was well known for being physically funny, often not needing to say a word to get a laugh. His mannerisms went before him, and the same can be said for Williams who channels the comedian's comedian with apparent ease. Giving the audience the catchphrases and physicality they crave, his performance takes us from funny to poignant as the show draws to a close.
Bob Golding plays Eric Morecambe and, arguably, has the hardest job to do. So many of those in the audience know Morecambe as half of a double act rather than on his own, but to see the vulnerability of the man and the fragility of his desire to be the best at what he does come through was inspiring.
However, whilst Williams and Golding did an incredible job, special mention has to go to Simon Cartwright who's impersonation of Bob Monkhouse was second to none. His look and mannerisms were spot on, but his voice was perfection. For me, Bob was a gameshow host who could make an audience smile, but to so many he was a first class comedian in his own right - something which came across in Cartwright's performance, as he showed us a comic who was scared he wouldn't be remembered in the same way his contemporaries would - a beautiful performance.
The Last Laugh is a beautifully written, excellently performed and perfectly crafted piece of theatre which is as poignant as it is hilariously funny. What also stood out is the distinct lack of swearing and innuendo. In the 80 minutes these three men were on stage, nothing that was even moderately PG in nature came out of their mouths as they told jokes that made the audience cry wit laughter. It's an out and out triumph that should be high on your list of must-see's.
The Last Laugh plays at The Alexandra until Saturday 26th July. For more information, or to get your tickets, visit atgtickets.com/birmingham.
