REVIEW - Top marks for Charlie and Stan at The Lowry

One of our trusted reviewers, Karen Ryder, enjoyed a wonderful evening at The Lowry as she attended Charlie and Stan. It's a brilliant watch and as we have an exclusive offer, we encourage you to go and see this one for sure...

Charlie & Stan!  I love the promise these two names hold.  Two geniuses, two comedy legends, two names that aren’t frequently put together but I’m glad they were tonight.  I’m glad a lady called Irene Cotton had this idea and I’m glad that a gentleman called Paul Hunter wrote it.

Charlie & Stan is loosely based around Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel’s boat journey to America in 1910.  The play shows us different stages in both the duo’s lives through flash backs and flash forwards, but it always comes back to the boat, where their manager and music hall empresario Fred Karno keeps a money laden eye on them.

The whole concept of this show is brilliant.  Everything is so prepared, polished and perfect, that the slapstick style of performing is believably happening for the first time.  You have to be incredibly talented to look that clumsy, and talented is what this cast are.  Danielle Bird plays a wonderful Charlie.  She is athletic, gentle, charming and laugh out loud funny.  She is engaging from beginning to end without ever saying a word.  Her acrobatics, agility and acting are at the heart of this strong ensemble cast.  Jerone Marsh-Reid plays an endearing Stan.  He manages to portray Stan with an edge of innocence throughout and again shows unbelievable strength and stamina with his physical performance.  He is sweet and strong, funny and heart-warming.  Nick Haverson plays Frank Karno with ease and is ridiculously agile and throws himself around the stage with gusto.  Haverson also doubles up as Oliver Hardy – a real treat to see and hilarious to behold the transformation, but we are still not done with Haverson for he also adds musicality throughout with his superb drum and percussion sets.  He was so good, my dad actually had me google him at the end for he was sure Haverson must belong to some famous rock band!  Sara Alexander is the musical heartbeat of the show, performing the silent movie music live on piano, providing sound effects, comically timed interactions with cast (and audience!) and generally being everything anyone may need at any given time.  She doubles up to play Charlie’s mother in a flash back to his early life as well.

The play takes place in the style of an old silent movie and you find you really don’t miss or need the spoken word.  The underlying music and the odd art deco subtitle projected onto a curtain keep the story moving and easy to follow.  The lack of words does not mean lack of understanding or communication though – far from it.  This ensemble shows us just how much we can and do communicate through facial expressions and body language – the perfect setting for the art of slapstick comedy.  Each movement is so carefully and cleverly choreographed that you understand the intention as clearly as someone telling you – more so because the physical comedy keeps you engaged and hooked, so you find your mind is in the moment and not drifting off to thoughts of tomorrows workload or if you should stop at the chippy on the way home as it often does when we are supposed to be listening to someone.  A big shout out to Jos Houben (physical comedy consultant) and Nuna Sandy (choreography) for having the ability to create something that stops me thinking about a chip muffin special!

The play opens with the pianist entering the fantastic set wearing a face mask.  She is instantly funny, slowly antibacing her hands, each finger in turn, before she sets herself down at the piano.  She is joined by a skwarking seagull attack on Haverson who then lets rip on a killer drum solo.  Charlie joins us through a suitcase and the play has begun.  There are so many stand out, belly laugh, and just plain beautifully daft moments.  A “slapstick off” between Charlie and Stan in the audience circle that leaves you holding your breath, the supporting cast (Harris Cain and Frances Knox) getting literally wrapped up in the stage curtain, the involvement of the audience for both music and dancing (because an extra pair of hands is needed and because Charlie falls in love), the magic suitcases, the classic Chaplin-esque moments of always having your own cutlery, the classic Laurel moments of always having a hard boiled egg in your inside pocket, the tap dancing duo, the “never gets old” hit someone on the head with a frying pan act, and to top it all off, I honestly never thought I would leave saying I have just watched Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel street dancing!  But I did – and it was genius!

I think that’s the best word to sum up this show – genius!  Because it is about two genius comic legends, it is a genius idea and the cast are genius in their performances.  There is a delicately haunting echo of “Smile” at certain moments through the show and  with the last eighteen months lightened by this feel good show (actually – feel BETTER than good show), it feels like the perfect quote to finish on;

“Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile what’s the use of crying
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you’ll just Smile.”   

We loved this fine piece of comedy drama. Full marks for Charlie and Stan.
   

WE SCORE CHARLIE AND STAN - 10/10!!!


CHARLIE AND STAN IS ON AT THE LOWRY UNTIL SATURDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER.
WE HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE £15 OFFER SO BOOK YOUR TICKETS TODAY!