Following two acclaimed runs at Edinburgh Festival, two National tours and a West End season this brilliantly funny Olivier-nominated homage to the double act Morecambe and Wise comes to the Epstein Theatre, Liverpool on 10th and 11th October.
The production vividly brings back the warm memories of a bygone era, recreating some of the finest moments of Eric and Ernie’s television and stage performances through the use of classic sketches alongside new material devised by the show’s performers. Newly extended from its Edinburgh hour, the script explores the dynamic that made Morecambe and Wise one of Britain’s most enduringly popular double acts.
Producers were granted rare permission by Eddie Braben to feature favourite moments from his writing just weeks before his untimely death earlier this year. Together with further classic material licensed from the estates of Hills and Green, who wrote for Eric and Ern in their early career, the show mixes in new scenes exploring the public and private personas of Morecambe and Wise.
Ian and Jonty first met at Birmingham School of Speech and Drama 30 years ago and have more recently collaborated to build this show from a short sketch into a full show. Individually, they have a wide variety of stage and television credits ranging from BBC drama to Shakespeare’s Globe.
‘Like Morecambe and Wise themselves, this is a wonderfully funny, genuine, and beautifully played two-hander.’ ★★★★★ The Herald
‘Spot on. You could watch this for hours.’ êêêê Daily Telegraph
‘Brilliantly acted and incredibly moving.’ êêêê Chortle
‘A hugely enjoyable piece of comedic theatre.’ êêêê The List
Ian Ashpitel’s Television credits include Phone Shop, Starlings, Doctors and as Roy Piper in Thin Ice. Theatre includes Kursk (Young Vic & Sydney Opera House), Nicholas Nickleby (Chichester), Tittle Tattle (Gilded Balloon), Brighton Rock (Tour), The Ghost Train (New Wolsey), Father Brown and the Poppyland Mysteries, Shout, When the Boat Comes In (Eastern Angles), The Merchant of Venice (Tour) and Jesus Christ Superstar (Tour). Prior to drama training, he spent nine years in the Royal Navy as a submarine radio operator.
Jonty Stephen’s theatre credits include The Merry Wives of Windsor (Globe, U.S. and U.K. Tour), Liberty (Tour), A Small Family Business (Watford), Coriolanus (R.S.C. and Kennedy Centre Washington), Great Expectations (Lancaster), Love at a Loss (BAC), Simplicity (Tour & Donmar), Loot, The Canterbury Tales, Joseph (Leicester Haymarket), The London Cuckolds (Lyric Hammersmith) and Tales of Toad Hall (Tour). Television credits include Love and Marriage, Peaky Blinders, WPC 56, Coronation Street, Doctors, Silent Witness, Lewis, Moving On, The Lenny Henry Show and All About Me. Film credits include Possession, Large, Good King Wenceslas, Mild and Bitter and the forthcoming Walking With The Enemy.
Director Owen Lewis most recently staged solo shows for Suggs, Mrs Moneypenny and Hardeep Singh Kohli; theatre directing credits include The Only Way Is Downton (Pleasance Edinburgh and St James, London) and Pete and Dud: Come Again (London, U.K .tour and New Zealand).
Tickets for this show are priced at £20.
To book call 0844 888 4411, visit www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk or book in person at the theatre box office (open 2pm-6pm Monday-Thursday and 12pm-6pm Friday-Saturday)