“Directing a play at the Fringe can be challenging because of the restrictions but I loved the camaraderie between all the different performers and creatives.”
WHO: Paul Hendy
WHAT: “The Last Laugh sees three legendary comedians – Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse – sitting in a dressing room, discussing the secret of life, death, comedy and what it means to be funny. Written and directed by the award-winning Paul Hendy and starring Edinburgh Fringe-legend Bob Golding as Morecambe, Damian Williams as Cooper and Simon Cartwright as Monkhouse, The Last Laugh is warm, funny, nostalgic and poignant. Not to be missed.”
WHERE: Assembly George Square Studios – Studio One (Venue 17)
WHEN: 13:20 (70 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
No, The Last Laugh will be my second time directing at the fringe and my first time as a writer. I can’t wait to bring the play to Edinburgh as I’m such a huge fan of the festival. Last year, I directed ‘Lena’, a play with music about the tragic life of child star, Lena Zavaroni. I loved the whole Fringe experience. Directing a play at the Fringe can be challenging because of the restrictions but I loved the camaraderie between all the different performers and creatives.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2023 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
The biggest lesson I learnt was that your play/show has to be something that people want to see. It sounds obvious but the audiences have so much choice so I think the subject matter of the show has to try to entice people in. Hopefully we have that with The Last Laugh
Tell us about your show.
It’s a brand new play. In it, three legendary comedians, Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse sit in a dressing room discussing the secret of life, death, comedy and what it means to be funny… really funny! It’s warm, nostalgic and poignant. I wrote ‘The Last Laugh’ and I’m also directing and producing it. I based the story on a short film I directed a few years ago which did very well on the film festival circuit – it won Best Film at the Manchester Film Festival, Best Comedy Drama at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Oxford Film Festival. I’m a huge comedy fan and I think anyone who loves comedy will love this play. We’re planning a UK tour of the play in 2025.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
We’re also producing a totally different show called ‘Shantify’ – a group of West End leading men sing show tunes, rock classics and pop bangers in the style of sea-shanties. The singers are all incredibly talented; it’s brilliant fun and I think people at the Fringe will really enjoy it.
LIKE WHAT YOU JUST READ? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! OR SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!
INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED TOO? CLICK HERE!
Get Your Coats On 