The names of these three comedians (Eric Morecambe, Tommy Cooper and Bob Monkhouse) will conjure up a sense of nostalgia for many – do you have your own fond memories of them?
Steve Royle (Eric Morecambe): I can’t hear the name Eric Morecambe and not think of childhood Christmas’ sitting around the telly with the family. Classic sketches like The Andre Previn conductor routine, Angela Rippon with the BBC Newsreaders dancing and Glenda Jackson as Cleopatra still feel fresh in my memory. I remember spending hours in the kitchen trying to re-enact the Stripper routine with my brother, toast, grapefruits and teabags flying everywhere. I still do a little dance whenever the fridge door is opened and I can’t flip a pancake without humming that tune.
Damian Williams (Tommy Cooper): I have so many fond memories of these iconic men from watching them at Christmas with the family, particularly sitting with my dad watching Tommy Cooper and seeing him crying with laughter. I grew up with them and was certainly influenced by them. Tommy is the reason I got into the business.
Simon Cartwright (Bob Monkhouse): All three were iconic legends of British light entertainment and featured in positive childhood memories for me. I enjoyed watching Bob Monkhouse presenting in the very early 70s – I would have been 6-years old – programmes like ‘The Golden Shot’ and then into the 80s with ‘Bob’s Full House’. They are fond memories of a time that I can recall, happier family environments when we’d all watch stuff together.
Without giving too much away, what is The Last Laugh about—and why do you think it resonates with audiences today?
Steve: I sum The Last Laugh up as a comics guide to comedy. It delves deep into the heart and soul of what makes a comedian and the pressures that come with the job. It is also a play about friendship, love and understanding. I think this is the key to its success, it helps us all understand how differences combined with mutual respect can unite us in an, all too often, fractured world.
Damian: Watching The Last Laugh is the closest you’ll get to spending 80-minutes in the company of these great men. It’s about the art of comedy, the relationship between these three men and what it’s really like to be funny for a living. It’s full of laughs, nostalgia, warmth and love.
Simon: I think it reflects on a time when families would sit down and watch television together, nowadays that’s very rare because of streaming, people being dissipated around family lives and watching things on their smartphones. I think people do remember times when they sat down together, the halcyon days – looking back into the 60s and 70s, people seem to think they were happier times.
Damien and Simon, you’ve previously taken the show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, London’s West End and New York – what has the response been like?
Damian: The response to the show has been amazing. It really has struck a chord with people. The comments and the reviews have been fantastic. We really didn’t know how it would be received when we started and it’s totally blown our minds.
Simon: We’ve had a remarkable reaction from the public, getting standing ovations and moving people – particularly men of a certain age becoming quite emotional. I think they can apply positive memories from their youth, and somehow connect with these comedians, triggering those thoughts and memories. It was also a time when comedy was a lot more innocent, and I think people appreciate that the comedians we’re representing were not particularly political or had an agenda other than being funny and making us feel good.
Steve, you’re a new addition to the company. How are you finding the experience?
Steve: I have huge respect for Damian and Simon having seen the show last year and they have welcomed me into the fold with open arms. I am genuinely excited to be sharing time both on and off stage with them over the next 6 months. I don’t think I’ve ever been as immersed into a project as much as I have this one. Much of that is due to the brilliant job that Bob Golding did before me, he certainly set the bar high, and I like to rise to a challenge. Bob has been so tremendously supportive and given me lots of valuable advice. Paul Hendy has also been extremely encouraging and has given me the confidence to believe in my own abilities to bring something fresh and exciting to the role. On a practical level I’ve even learnt to play the Ukelele so I suppose I’ve already gained a skill for life from the project.
How do you find the balance between playing a caricature and making it your own? Has your relationship with these characters changed over time?
Steve: As I am foremost a comic before I am an impersonator I hope to bring a sense of empathy to the role. I have personal experience of a lot of the sentiments expressed in the play; loneliness, guilt at missing family events, fear of people not laughing, for example. When I first saw the play I couldn’t see why it was entertaining to anyone other than comedians, it really touched a nerve with me. I now see that it is a fascinating insight into the complexities of being a comedian. It also shows the hidden sides of all three comics, what they were like off stage as opposed to the familiar roles they occupied on it. There is a juxtaposition between the confidence required to perform in front of thousands and the real fears lying beneath.
Damian: As an actor I wanted to play Tommy as the man he was and try to avoid just doing an impression. It’s been interesting to really study him and to learn more about who he was. The three of us have worked incredibly hard to capture them without doing a caricature.
Simon: First and foremost, I knew Bob Monkhouse personally, so from a method-acting point of view, I can really draw on and recall what he was like off-stage, so I have that distinct advantage. These are three very vulnerable men who share the love of making people laugh, and they get there in different ways. It’s all about finding authenticity and truth rather than trying to create a caricature or an impression, we’re not doing that, we’re going for truth and sentiment. I think the more we perform this, the more truth we’re finding in the words and it’s resonating with our own personalities as well.
Touring brings its own energy. Are there any cities or venues on the tour you’re especially excited to perform in?
Steve: Touring the country as a Comedian I rarely stay in a town more than one or two nights. There are so many places I’m excited to explore deeper and I’ve packed my running gear to do just that. Also, few people know, but I have a degree in Economic and Social History so anywhere with historical sites will interest me, Jersey and Dublin stand-out as two potential highlights in that aspect.
Damian: So looking forward to the 2026 tour of The Last Laugh. There are a lot of great venues and towns and cities we’re about to play and each place will be exciting in its own way. I can’t wait to meet new people, explore new places and introduce people to our critically acclaimed play.
Simon: It’s always a joy to visit cities and venues where the comedians we are recreating, actually performed. This year sees a broad and fascinating schedule and I am particularly thrilled to take the show to Jersey and test the waters in Dublin.
What do you hope audiences take away from the play—not just in terms of laughter, but perhaps something deeper too?
Steve: Merchandise; I’m selling Jams, Chutneys and personalised Mugs to supplement my wage. I’m joking of course! Seriously, I hope people take away a smile and that warm feeling that nostalgia can bring. These are three of this country’s greatest ever comedians and if their memories and the joy they brought to millions can be rekindled then our work has been done.
Damian: What we’ve learnt so far is that the audiences are totally transported back to a time when they sat as a family and watched these great comedians on the TV. We can totally feel the love from the audience as soon as the play starts. You’ll be laughing one minute and crying the next. You’ll learn more about these men and what it was really like to be them. I can’t wait for you all to see it.
Simon: I hope that audiences take away a new and fresh insight into the three comedians. I hope that a younger generation, who might not have seen the comedians before, discover them and walk away with an interest, and we ultimately keep their memories alive. I hope for the older generations we’re a warm reminder of a bygone age, the golden age of British comedy!
