The Last Laugh brings nostalgic comedy to Wolverhampton Grand

The unique comedy of yesteryear makes a welcome return this week at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, in the form of award-winning playwright Paul Hendy’s hilarious play, The Last Laugh.

Following a successful West End run and subsequent UK tour, the piece depicts comedy greats Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse as they share a dressing room, exchanging jokes and stories.

It is a fictional piece, so these things probably didn’t happen, but possibly could have done if these iconic comedians had come together in this setting. What would they talk about and how would they react to each other?

It’s an unusual format. Act One is 80 minutes of pure comedy gold as the comedians regale us with their thoughts and experiences on life (and death, for that matter), followed by a short interval.

Then, Act Two offers the audience the chance to engage with the actors in a half-hour question-and-answer session. Breaking the fourth wall in this way creates an interesting connection and the opportunity for theatregoers to recall their memories of three of the funniest performers of the 20th century.

Having also played in the USA, where audiences were not familiar with Cooper, Monkhouse and Morecambe, the response was still positive, proving that “The Last Laugh” can stand alone as a piece of quality theatre.

The cast of three offer super-slick, word-perfect performances and had no issues raising laughter despite the relatively small, but nonetheless appreciative, audience. The chemistry and ability to read each other’s performances is obvious.

Damian Williams commanded the stage as the unique Tommy Cooper, with all the silliness of his simple humour, but also, in contrast, perfectly conveyed the sadness and emotion of his darker moments.

Actor and impressionist Simon Cartwright was uncanny in his appearance and vocal expression of the late, great Bob Monkhouse, again offering a superb performance.

Finally, Britain’s Got Talent finalist Steve Royal reminded us of just how well-loved Eric Morecambe was in his time, with yet another near-perfect portrayal.

Writer Paul Hendy has also directed the play and has created a very natural, comfortable atmosphere on stage, contrasting with sharp blackout moments in which the audience is left, if only for a moment, wondering what is coming next.

Lee Newby’s scenery is an excellent static set depicting the grim surroundings of an old theatre dressing room, while the lighting design, courtesy of Johanna Town, is atmospheric and effective.

The play is peppered with musical interludes, including George Formby’s classic song “My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock”, and “Positive Thinking”, written by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent, who dominated songwriting on TV during this era.

The jokes are quick-fire, one after the other, but be prepared for an unexpected conclusion to the play, as the title would suggest. There is a very fine line between comedy and tragedy, after all.

The Last Laugh certainly deserves a five-star review for its content and performances, although please remember that the nostalgic humour is a little dated and perhaps not as funny now as it was 40 or 50 years ago, when these comedy stars were at the height of their fame. Nevertheless, it’s still a very enjoyable night out.

For tickets, visit grandtheatre.co.uk or call 01902 429212. Runs until Saturday.