Morecambe - brings back the sunshine at Liverpool Playhouse

It's an unusual and bold move to start a show with the death of its central character - and even more daring when it's a one man performance.

But that's exactly what Tim Whitnall does in his carefully-crafted script for this play that tells the hilarious, yet often bitter-sweet, story of legend.

Eric Morecambe is brought to life on stage by multi-talented actor Bob Golding in a stunning, energetic, fast-paced, and often uncannily accurate depiction of the comic hero.

As the strains of "Bring Me Sunshine" fade and a news bulletin tells us that Eric died at the age of 58, after a guest performance in Tewksbury, the worst is over.

And that frees the audience to enjoy more than 100 minutes of mirth with the inimitable man born Eric John Bartholomew and his partner Ernie Wise.

It is a one man play, but Ernie is cleverly there, ever-present in theatrical form, alongside his stage partner whom, we learn to our delight, was better known in boyhood as "Jiffle Arse" a nickname coined by his devoted mother Sadie.

Golding has the distinctive mannerisms of Morecambe off to a tee and there are a series of classic Morecambe one-liners with perfect comic timing.

"If it hadn't been for Venetian blinds, it would have been curtains for the lot of us!"

"My grandad knew the exact time, date and place of his death. He wasn't psychic. The judge told him!"

Golding milks every joke to perfection, just as his doppelganger would have done, even to the point of gleeful audience participation in some of Eric's famous punchlines.

Notably the famous keyboard repost to composer Andrè Previn "I am playing all the right notes.... just not necessarily in the right order!"

This is a show aimed primarily at fans of the Great Man and it gives them a chance to see their idol again and learn things that few know about him.

But it also stands completely in its own right and will appeal equally to those who were not among the 28million viewers of the 1977 Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show.

Rating: 9/10

Morecambe is on tour and at the Liverpool Playhouse until 13th March.

It continues in Whitehaven and Barrow-in-Furness and elsewhere. Among its venues are three nights at Manchester Library Theatre from 15th to 17th April.

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