The Last Laugh (UK Tour)
The Last Laugh
Milton Keynes Theatre (UK Tour)
Review Complete
“A tender play of belly laughs one minute and tender tears the next.”
08/07/2025
Having started its life as a short play at the Edinburgh Fringe and more recently at the Noel Coward theatre in London, “The last laugh” heads out on a UK tour.
As we enter the theatre where are greeted with a shabby looking, typical theatre dressing room, that could be anywhere in the UK. It is no particular night, but one of many I am sure. The sound of a radio plays a mashup of various comedians long gone over the house PA and the pictures of past dead comedians hang on the wall.
Now the scene is set for tonight’s performance of the “Last Laugh”. Here we will meet three of Britain's greatest comedians: Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse.
Eric Morecambe (Bob Golding), Bob Monkhouse (Simon Cartwright) and Tommy Cooper (Damian Williams) are seasoned pro’s at having played their comedy icons on stage before. So straight away you could relax and enjoy their interpretation, and they were good.
The music stops and the lights go out and then back on again and standing in front of us is Damian Williams (Tommy Cooper) with a pair of chicken feet on. Immediately, there was Tommy Cooper. The audience belly laughed as the routine unfolded. But soon, the foundations were laid for what would follow, when Tommy clutched his chest in pain. The walked over to his dressing table and took tablets washed down with scotch. His mannerism and voice captured Tommy excellently. Physically he is an excellent version of the comic, lumbering around and getting laughs effortlessly, sometimes by just standing on stage doing nothing. Then before you know it, a knock on the dressing room door and in walked Eric Morecambe.
Bob’s attention to detail, made Eric believable in a heartbeat, the giggly laugh the glass wiggling and chuckling at everything was spot on. The interaction between Eric and Tommy is funny and touching, with each out bantering each other. Finally, to complete the trio, another knock and in comes Bob Monkhouse. Simon Cartwright likewise is an uncanny Monkhouse. The voice is spot on and pitch-perfect vocal cadences. Even down to his creosote-coloured face. Simon having met and becoming friends with Bob Monkhouse, was able to show the sadness behind the facial animation beautifully.
Watching three comedy icons sitting in the same dressing room but waiting to go on three different theatres is so humbling, their vulnerability. Their worry about the audience not laughing. The conversations between each character shines with wit and suitably excellent timing. It is an incredibly nostalgic show, transporting us, the audience back to a time where successful mainstream comedy was non offensive, where the whole family would gather to enjoy the fun together. It was amazing to think that these three, among others past have had on today’s comedians was so easy to see.
They showed how they dissected each comedy joke as a duty, each joke being moulded, tested and moulded again to make it perfect. You can see through Simon’s interpretation of Bob Monkhouse how he is jealous of Cooper and Morecambe’s skills and ease with their comedy in engaging audiences, whereas Bob with every joke he ever wrote cased in his famous leather-bound joke books. Bob sees a joke as something to be constructed and revisited and even, scientifically adjusted to make it as funny as it possibly could be. Then having to master the delivery. The stage lights up when all three discuss the unmatchable and addictive quality of making audiences laugh with the ups and downs this job brings.
Jokes and songs filled the air and occasionally getting lost in the audience’s laughter. We were treated to Morecambe’s paper bag trick and all the right notes, but not necessarily… having the audience filling the theatre with loud laughter and cheers. Also, the nonverbal comedy of Tommy Cooper and the white gate. I say no more. shows how just walking around a prop white gate in a certain way can get a laugh. The vision and research by the writer and director Paul Hendy know what audiences have come to see and delivers in abundance.
Paul Hendy a long with the jokes brought some more serious elements to the play. With each character sharing elements of their own personal struggles, loss and childhood traumas, although they never go in much depth. Each talking about missing their children growing up, Monkhouse tearfully relives his selfish behaviour towards his late comedy partner, and Cooper talked about a crowd laughing at him when he broke down in tears while sitting in a pub. Always a comedian!
The play weaved each of their health issues, along with melancholy music and flickering lights, but the whole theatre feel silent as Tommy Cooper left the dressing room to go on stage for what will be his last time.
The creative team worked their magic to bring all the elements together. Lee Newby’s atmospheric set is a run down, small dressing room with damp on the walls, very old posters promoting long-past Laurel and Hardy and Harry Secombe shows. A wall of framed photos features late, great comedy legends, many of whom are referred to in the show.
The Last Laugh will have you laughing one minute, tears the next, but a play that will stay with you long after you leave the theatre.
The UK Tour of the Last Laugh is on at the Milton Keynes theatre until the 12th July and then further on its tour. See the link for details.
Reviewer: Mark Bilsby
Photography: Pamela Raith
We are Gifted tickets so that in return we may give an honest review. All comments are those of the reviewer and theirs alone.