Morecambe

This is a one-man show covering the life and death of Eric Morecambe, still regarded as Britain’s funniest comedian twenty-five years after his death.Most people remember Eric Morecambe as half of Morecambe and Wise, appearing on television in shows that were watched by more than half the population, but it took them years to get to that position, years of struggling, working in clubs and on the radio and even unsuccessfully on TV. This show briefly covers Morecambe’s entire life, from his childhood when he was standing on tables singing and telling jokes, through to his first professional engagements as a teenager and his meeting with Ernie Wise, a partnership that was to last for more than forty years. Then, after the intervention of National Service, their gradual development of an act that would eventually make them a national institution. In the 1970’s everyone wanted to appear with Morecambe and Wise. Their shows with Glenda Jackson, Andre Previn and Shirley Bassey are as funny today as they were thirty years ago. On a darker note, we hear about his heart problems and the heart attacks that were eventually to kill him.Eric Morecambe comes across as a genuinely funny and happy man, unlike many comedians, and seems to have had no demons. He was devoted to his parents and later to his wife and children. I’m sure he’s still missed by his family.Bob Golding is excellent as Morecambe. He looks similar, particularly when wearing a hat, and has managed to reproduce many of his mannerisms. He is able to keep the attention of the audience throughout the whole ninety minutes. Ernie Wise never appears on the stage in person but the writing and acting somehow make it seem as though he’s there.The performance that I attended received a fully deserved standing ovation. Most members of the audience were clearly old enough to remember Morecambe and Wise but even those who were too young had obviously enjoyed the show immensely. Not to be missed.