Morecambe @ The New Theatre
After an award winning west-end run, Morecambe has arrived in Cardiff with some positive thinking and a cheeky grin, telling the story of one of Britain’s best-loved comic entertainers, Eric Morecambe.
The one man show takes those old enough back down memory lane, to a time when Morecambe and Wise brightened up the adoring nation every week. Their time in the light was extremely illustrious, their hit show ran through the seventies and picked up many an award and was family entertainment at its very best.
Bob Golding does a fantastic job at recreating the first half of this double act, taking us from his humble upbringings as a lad from Morecambe to his eventual stardom and fame. The whole piece brims with his cheerful spirit and the one man show set-up (Golding is on-stage alone for the full two hours) means you really feel like you get to know the great entertainer and the hard work that went in behind the scenes. Okay, some of the comedy is slightly dated and alas many of the references went right over my head but the fact that I found myself giggling in recollection whilst on the way home suggests I had a thoroughly good time, and so the show’s objective has been achieved.
Despite a series of heart attacks, his life was just one big smile, and even as the show reaches the end and his life is cut short, the final line is inevitably a cracking gag from Eric. Perhaps not the most dazzling production but certainly the most charming, Morecambe hits all the buzzwords; uplifting, smart and funny (without trying to describe myself too much here) and it leaves you feeling better for seeing it. Golding received a glowing reception for his mammothly brave performance and left the audience standing as he departed the stage in classic Morecambe and Wise fashion. “Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love!”.
One the parents will enjoy, me finks.
But don’t take my word for it; join in the fun at The New Theatre, until Saturday.
1 Comment – Postiwch sylw
Faymondo:)
Rhoddwyd sylw 69 mis yn ôl - 9th September 2010 - 16:20pm
You've definitely captured the humorous spirit of morcambe and wise in your writing, Tom. Everybody has to love theatre!