Morecambe

Bob Golding gives a performance of impeccable comic timing in writer Tim Whitnall’s nostalgic, emotional play about Eric Morecambe. The double act Morecambe and Wise, but especially the bespectacled one, are national treasures and this show helps you see why.

Golding is an expert in mimicry, an uncanny capturer of Morecambe’s verbal and physical mannerisms. The piece is beautifully crafted and essentially biographical, taking us through the comedian’s highs and lows, from his roots in Morecambe, Lancashire, through the early flops at the Glasgow Empire, then on to TV immortality with viewing figures of over 28 million.

Guy Masterson directs with consummate flair, keeping the performance tight, quick-paced and inventive, full of nifty little touches and visually engaging blocking. The audience anticipates punchlines and laughs uproariously, but there are also painful moments, especially after the performer's heart attacks.

This is a solo show and Golding is compelling, although perhaps we don’t see enough of the comic’s vulnerability or emotional complexity. But this is a wonderful piece of theatre, a trip down memory lane, into the heydays of variety at the Liverpool Empire and venues in Scunthorpe or Grimsby. So much has been lost with their passing – this show is as much an elegy for them as for anything else.