A one-man-show show celebrating the genius of slapstick comedy kings Laurel and Hardy comes to the Epstein Theatre this month.
KPS Productions and The Finishing Touch Company present …And This is My Friend Mr. Laurel at the Epstein on Tuesday 21st June. The show stars Hi-de-Hi and You Rang M’Lord actor Jeffrey Holland who fulfils a long held desire to pay tribute to his hero Stan Laurel.
Jeffrey tells an intriguing, funny and often poignant tale of friendship, love and dedication about Laurel, an English comedy actor from Ulverston who became one of Hollywood’s great film comedians and appeared in 107 short films with his partner Hardy.
Co-written by Gail Louw and Jeffrey, the show is set in the bedroom of a sick Hardy. As his comedy partner Laurel visits the dying man, the pair recount their past success as the comedy double act Laurel and Hardy.
This one-man-show is a humorous and touching look at one of the great cinematic partnerships of the last century, celebrating friendship, memories and a couple of remarkable lives, as well as providing an in depth, humorous and touching account of Laurel’s life.
Jeffrey’s fascination for Laurel and Hardy began as a small boy at the Saturday morning cinema picture show but with the passage of time, his interest in this legendary double act took a back seat temporarily until the early 70s when B.B.C.2 began regular screenings of the pair, which rekindled the spark for Jeff.
A talented mimic, Laurel soon began to feature regularly among Jeffrey’s impressions and who could forget the classic episode of Hi de Hi when Jeffrey joined forces with the much loved and missed Paul Shane as Oliver Hardy to complete the team?
During this period, Jeffrey also discovered The Sons of the Desert, the official Laurel and Hardy appreciation society of which he is now an honorary member.
In 1983 Jeffrey was invited to Ulverston in Lancashire, the birthplace of Stan Laurel where he opened the Laurel and Hardy Museum, an event that filled him with great pride but for some time now his thoughts have never been far from paying his own tribute to the comedian in the form of a one-man show.
After two years in the planning, the dream is now a reality with this wonderfully crafted show which is sure to delight. Such has been the response that Jeffrey is now touring the country with this amazing piece of theatre.
So don’t be a chump and miss …And This is My Friend Mr. Laurel, book your tickets now for this show which The Stage described as “spellbinding and magically, timelessly funny.”
Tickets for …And This is My Friend Mr. Laurel are priced at £16. To book tickets please call 0844 888 4411* or go online at www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk.
*Subject to booking fee.