Eric and Little Ern, York Theatre Royal, February 2022

I’m a big fan of classic comedy, and there’s no denying that Morecambe and Wise were two of the greats. Sadly I never got to see them perform live (I’m only 21, or thereabouts!), but this was a close second. Here’s what I thought of Eric and Little Ern at York Theatre Royal…

What do you think of it so far?

Rubbish! Except it wasn’t, quite the opposite in fact. I can say unreservedly that the show is sensational and, as my friend said last night, it will stay with you for a long time. I often felt like I could be watching the original duo, a feeling that actually made me emotional at points. That poignancy comes from the tribute that Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel as Eric and Ernie bring to the show.

This is a love letter to a golden age of comedy, and the casting and direction simply could not be better.

Expect wordplay, puns, jokes, slapstick, silliness and a smattering of innuendo. Expect Mr Memory (“Arsenal!”), Grieg’s piano concerto, the ice-cream van, the scenes in bed, and even a version of the kitchen routine…albeit without flying toast and grapefruits. It’s all here.

The sketches are broken up by special guest act Sinead Wall (“A lovely fella, wahaay!”) Her rendition of Sondheim’s Send in the Clowns is a touching close to the first act, even with Eric and Ern clowning around behind her. Later she is permitted to sing a song uninterrupted, and I’m glad she gets more time to shine.

Gottle of Geer
A ventriloquism routine packs a punch with lots of gags, one-liners and an unfortunate but hilarious time delay. It’s one of many routines that Morecambe and Wise fans will be more than familiar with, but is delivered with impeccable timing and every joke intact.

In fact, having shown my two boys the original routine this morning, I noticed a few new gags in the stage show that add an extra dimension.

On the subject of new material, I’m relieved that references to other comedians and musical stars weren’t updated – and it helped solidify the illusion that we were watching the original stars. There are mentions of Des O’ Connor, Barry Cryer and various other names from yesteryear.

The only thing that jarred slightly was hearing Eric and Ernie talk about their website and social media channels at the end. However, I don’t begrudge them the promotion – and the more people that know about this brilliant show the better!

In the Bag
A highlight for me was the classic paper bag gag, a moment of visual magic and silliness with an invisible ball and a brown paper bag. Again, the timing is so precise and so honed here that it’s an absolute joy to see performed live.

On that note, it’s such a rare treat nowadays to see classic, inoffensive comedy live on stage. I can only compare it to Morecambe – The Play I saw a few years ago, with Bob Golding playing Eric. Whilst that featured some sketches and routines and was thoroughly enjoyable, it was also biographical and focused more on Eric’s life, with Ern only appearing in puppet form.

Morecambe plus Wise makes for the perfect union in this show; the two have great chemistry onstage and bounce off each other brilliantly. All the turns, nods and asides are here, and the gentle jibs, slaps and farce you would expect.

Eric and Little Ern is an affectionate homage to two masters of British comedy. The show conjures warm memories of their TV specials, and is polished to perfection. The audience last night lapped up every minute, often joining in with punchlines and songs, and with many on their feet at the end.