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Review: Eric and Ern at Lowry, Salford, is remarkable show
Morecambe and Wise are sadly no longer with us, but Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel in Eric and Ern are as close to the real thing as you are ever likely to get.
It’s quite a surreal experience sitting in the audience watching all the classic routines of your childhood being brought to life in front of your eyes.
This show is the antidote to much of today’s comedy which appears to be driven by certain agendas or anger.
Morecambe and Wise served their apprenticeship in variety theatres across the country; their comedy was gentle, at time silly, occasionally surreal but guaranteed to make you laugh.
More than 50 years on those routines – in the hands of Messrs Stephens and Ashpitel – still have the power to leave you laughing out loud.
Eric and Ern is effectively a two-hour greatest hits show. It is gloriously old fashioned in one sense but it works with a modern audience. The success of this show is in the first place due to the quality of the original material but also in the way it has been lovingly crafted.
Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel in Eric & Ern (Picture: Paul Coltas)
Jonty Stephens as Eric Morecambe is captivating; you cannot take your eyes off him. Goodness knows how many hours have gone into studying every mannerism, every glance but all that effort pays off in abundance. On that stage, he is Eric.
Through the live show you also come to fully appreciate the role Ernie Wise played in the partnership and Ian Ashpitel has him off to a tee. He’s the prefect foil for his on-stage partner.
The speed of the dialogue will surprise you, it rattles back and forth. Carefully scripted ad libs are dropped in with casual ease – alongside some genuine unscripted moments which threaten to derail proceedings but never quite do.
Presented in the style of Morecambe and Wise’s TV shows, the audience is treated to a series of routines ranging from Eric’s interpretation of Shakespeare to him playing Greig’s piano concerto by Grieg the Andre Prévin sketch albeit without Andre Prévin and an orchestra).
You can sense the audience’s anticipation as certain catchlines or phrases approach. A fire engine siren sounding outside prompts the ‘he won’t sell many ice creams going that fast’ response which leads to a veritable roar from the audience, the majority of whom clearly grew up watching Morecambe and Wise.
But even if you have never heard or Eric and Ern, if you don’t laugh at what is being served up then you don’t have a sense of humour. The paper bag trick remains one of the great comedy moments of any era.
This is not some tribute show with the two stars doing a decent impression of Morecambe and Wise. It is much more subtle, much more nuanced and much more sophisticated than that.
Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens in Eric and Ern (Picture: Paul Coltas)
You can tell it has been assembled with love. Stephens and Ashpitel respect Eric and Ern, they embody Eric and Ern. As with the original partnership, one would not be the same without the other.
Eric and Ern is a richly rewarding celebration of a comedy duo who were unique. In the hands of Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel their legacy is in good hands.
Eric and Ern is at the Lowry until Saturday. Details from www.thelowry.com
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