Ian Cheeseman finds plenty to enjoy at Buxton Opera House as Bob Monkhouse, Eric Morecambe and Tommy Cooper are brought warmly back to life in a perfectly timed celebration of classic British comedy.
Maybe it’s my age, but I really enjoyed my night of nostalgic comedy at Buxton Opera House. I’d never visited this famous venue but after an hour’s drive from Tameside through the Derbyshire hills, which was delightful, I reached the lovely venue.
If you’re familiar with Buxton you’ll already know that the town is a throwback to earlier times, an unspoilt destination, devoid, in the main, of the plethora of the identical shops and eateries we see on every high street.
I was ready for something special when I took my seat in an audience who were there to celebrate the glory years of British TV comedy.
My seat in the stalls had probably been there for years, but it was reassuringly upright and comfortable as I settled in for The Last Laugh, featuring Bob Monkhouse (Simon Cartwright), Eric Morecambe (Steve Royle) and Tommy Cooper (Damian Williams).
The play didn’t disappoint. The three actors playing Messrs Monkhouse, Cooper & Morecambe were perfectly cast. The humour was perfectly timed, they honoured the comic genius of the three of them but they also pitched the sadness of their untimely passing with great sensitivity.
This is a show that that has been performed in the West End and on Broadway and as well as the undoubted talent of the performers there should be a lot of credit given to writer and director Paul Hendy who clearly respected the three comic genius’ and his work does them proud. There was a lot of love in the way it was written and from those on that stage and in the audience.
All the bits of magic you remember from Monkhouse, Cooper and Morecambe were there but it was thought provoking in so many other ways too. I couldn’t have enjoyed my trip to Buxton Opera House more and I recommend you try out the venue and also see this show if you can.
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