Having The Last Laugh with Paul Hendy
- Steve Pratt
- Jun 7
- 4 min read
The Last Laugh is a new play that reimagines the lives of three of Britain's all-time great comedy heroes – Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse.
Written by award-winning writer Paul Hendy, The Last Laugh stars Bob Golding as Eric Morecambe, Simon Cartwright as Bob Monkhouse and Damian Williams as Tommy Cooper.
The tour opens at York's Grand Opera House in June (10-14), and stops at Newcastle Theatre Royal (June 24-28), Sheffield Lyceum (July 1-5), Manchester Opera House (July 29-August 2) and Blackpool Grand (August 26-31).
Hendy isn’t joking when he talks about having a life-long love of comedy. He’s serious about the art of making people laugh and can trace that interest - some might say obsession - back to Christmas Day, 1972.
“I’m six years old, sitting cross-legged in front of the television. Two men are on the screen; the tall, funny one with glasses holds a 12ft long comedy leg. My whole family is laughing hysterically. I start to laugh too and now, 52 years later, that moment still makes me smile,” he recalls.
The performers were Morecambe and Wise, of course. Eric Morecambe plays a key role in The Last Laugh, which imagines three British comedy legends – Morecambe, Tommy Cooper and Bob Monkhouse - sharing a dressing room and talking about comedy and making people laugh.
Hendy calls it a love letter to the golden age of comedy, loved by both audiences and reviewers at a time when a TV appearance could reach more than half of the population.
First seen at the Edinburgh Festival in 2024 and in London’s West End earlier this year, the show arrives at York's Grand Opera House fresh from a season in New York at the Brits Off Broadway 2025 festival.
The show came out of a short film about the trio, written and directed by Hendy, that picked up awards on the short-film festival circuit at home and abroad.
“I always thought there was a play in there, with three actors and a location," Paul says. "I could always see it as a play. During lockdown I sat down and wrote it, and we took it to the Edinburgh Festival, where the audience reaction was wonderful. West End producer Jamie Wilson came to see the last show and said he would take it to London."
The show sees the trio of comedians in a dressing room, talking about their lives, ambitions and, of course, what makes something funny.
But why that particular trio?
Each, says Hendy, had a unique comedy style: “Tommy was naturally funny – he couldn’t help it. Even when his material wasn’t the strongest, he made it work just by being Tommy.
“Bob Monkhouse, in contrast, wasn’t naturally funny. He was a master craftsman, a brilliant writer and a meticulous joke-teller, who honed his material until it was perfect.
“Eric Morecambe was somewhere in between. He had impeccable timing and is arguably Britain’s greatest comedian – certainly the most beloved. He and Ernie Wise (for beginners, Eric's double-act partner of many decades) understood early on that great writing was the key to their success."
Another reason for choosing the three was more practical: Paul had the right actors to play them. He had worked with Damian Williams at Sheffield Lyceum’s pantomime, where Williams is in his 18th year as Dame. Simon Cartwright, who plays Monkhouse, actually knew Monkhouse. He appeared on TV's Bob Says Opportunity Knocks - a 1980s revival of the original 1960s TV talent show - doing an impression of the host. “He says Monkhouse was brilliant and even gave him tips on how to impersonate him,” says Hendy.
“For all of us it’s a real love affair with these comedians and that era – the golden age of British comedy. The audience reaction has been overwhelming. There’s so much warmth and a feeling of nostalgia for these great comedians.”
Hendy himself has never been a stand-up comedian but has performed a variety of roles in television and theatre. His early career saw him as a TV presenter on shows including The Disney Club, Don’t Try This at Home, Wheel of Fortune and as a reporter on ITV’s This Morning.
He and wife Emily Wood run Evolution Productions, which stages pantomimes up and down the country, including York Theatre Royal and Sheffield Lyceum. This Christmas Paul is writing 10 pantomimes and directing two.
“I like to think my style of comedy is influenced by those great comedians of that period. I hope there’s nothing to offend. It’s pure comedy. I try to keep it innocent for the family,” he says.
“As a performer I did 26 consecutive pantomimes from when I was 18 to when I started writing and directing. This will be my 40th year in pantomime as performer, writer or producer.”
Not that he’s had the last word about The Last Laugh. He’d love to see it as a film and is currently working on adapting the play into a screenplay. “That’s a big ambition,” he says.
More info and ticket links here
