Charlie and Stan - a review

 

British comic actors Charlie (Spencer) Chaplin and Stan Laurel (Arthur Stanley Jefferson) found their fortunes in North America, after initially touring together with fellow British showman Fred Karno (aka Fredrick Westcott). Over time, their work spawned iconic comedic figures such as the French filmmaker Jaques Tati’s ‘Monsieur Hulot’, British comedian Rowan Atkinson’s ‘Mr Bean’ and now the Colchester Mercury Theatre’s showing of the homage comedy ‘Charlie & Stan’, brought to the Colchester stage by the fascinating touring theatre company ‘Told by an idiot’ (founded in 1993 by Hayley Carmichael, Paul Hunter and John Wright).

It had been a while since I saw a production at the Mercury Theatre. That was entirely my own fault for sequestering myself on an island, and being entirely dependent on public transport. Anyway, long story short, friend Pauline was enthusiastic to go and mentioned ‘Charlie & Stan’ to me. I dithered, worrying about buses to get me back home across The Strood. That was until Pauline mentioned the Saturday matinee. Now that I could do. I’d still have a choice of buses after the 80 minute show had concluded in the late afternoon and so, I said “okay, why not”. I’ll not mention that I was spurred on by the thought of a hot chocolate (with mini marshmallows) at Fenwick’s Cafe Nero, after.

On with the show.

In my intermittent trips to Colchester’s Mercury theatre I have yet to be disappointed. This visit was no exception.

‘Charlie and Stan’, the production, is billed as a ‘musical’. I’m not a big fan of musicals. Well, except for some Bollywood films. But, somehow, that notice escaped my attention and I had no expectations as I sat staring at a stage which hinted at something vaguely nautical, with a dangling seagull (not real of course, this was a theatre), waiting for the production to begin. If I had had expectations, they would have been trampled under the stage storm which ensued.

Somewhere between biopic and pantomime (masque), with actual mime and a ‘principle boy’ (Charlie) who was a girl (Danielle Bird), a riotous crew swept we the audience through the swells and calms of a voyage constructed of many voyages in and out of the comedic silent film era. As in ‘panto’, there was audience interaction during which, at one point, I had a woman’s coat thrown over my head. That was a first I have to admit, and one of the hazards of sitting too close to the stage. It was all good fun and the time slipped away until it was, suddenly, the end.

I am at an age where I have had access to much of the filmic material hinted at, or referenced in the show. I idly wonder how those younger than I would have experienced the production, maybe at different levels, perhaps at the purely experiential level, as you would a pantomime with its ‘Oh no I wouldn’t, Oh yes you would’, and ‘Look out he’s behind you’ interactive approach. I was lucky to be able to reminisce, and drag scenes from memory while appreciating the excellence of acting, slapstick and gymnastics before me. It was theatrical escapism done to the Mercury Theatre’s highest standards, once again. Many

congrats

and thank you cast, crew, production, writers et al.