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Former Hi-Di-Hi star plays tribute to Stan
Laurel in 1 man show
A 1 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, 21 June 2016. 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 1 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 1 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 BBC2 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 1 man show. After 2 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."
For more details on the show visit:-
MyFriendMrLaurel.Co.UK and on
Facebook. For more details on The Epstein
Theatre and to book tickets check out their
website. |
