Morecambe - The Play

Feature from 2009

In 1984 Britain’s best loved comedian died suddenly at the age of 58. 25 years later a new play celebrates his life.

In 1977 The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Special attracted 28 million viewers – half the entire population of the UK at the time. In the twenty five years since Eric Morecambe’s untimely death his popularity has not waned. With numerous tribute programmes, TV re-runs and DVD releases, his work, as one half of Britain’s most popular double act ever, has been kept alive and introduced to a whole new generation of fans. Now, to celebrate the life of the man who brought us sunshine, the first biographical play about him is premiering at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

In an uncanny portrayal, actor Bob Golding brings this remarkable man back to life. From Morecambe Pier to ‘André Preview’, from tumbleweed to Glenda Jackson, Morecambe offers a moving and gloriously funny portrait of the affectionate lad with the funny bones, the born entertainer, the big-hearted perfectionist.

At the Edinburgh Fringe 1997, while appearing together in Steve Martin’s Wasp, Morecambe director Guy Masterson casually commented, to his on-stage son, Bob Golding, on his extraordinary likeness to a young Eric Morecambe. Bob was only 24 at the time… Now, 12 years later, they are creating a theatrical celebration of Eric’s life.

“Bob could have been born to play Eric.” says Masterson, who knows that one needs an extraordinary talent to do justice to Britain’s “Comedian of the Century”. “He has it all!” Masterson attests, “He’s an all-rounder. He can act, sing, dance, play the harmonica – which is important! But most of all, he has funny in his bones… From the moment he appears, it is like Eric has walked into the room”

Writer, Tim Withnall was brought on board after working with Bob on Peter Kay’s Britain’s got the Pop Factor, late last year. His script extracts the very essence of all that can be celebrated creating a deliciously funny memorial of “the tall one with glasses”.

Directed by solo maestro Guy Masterson (12 Angry Men, Scaramouche Jones etc) - who also appears opposite Whitnall this Fringe in The Sociable Plover - Morecambe is set to be a must see of Edinburgh 2009.

*This is a fictional account that is inspired by Eric Morecambe’s life. Whilst many of the events and characters described in the play are real, the story and words are those imagined by the playwright.


© Clout Communications 2009