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ED2014 4/5 Reviews ED2014 Theatre Reviews
…and This is my Friend Mr Laurel (KPS Productions)
By George Robb | Published on Saturday 9 August 2014
This is a sad, charmingly human one-man-show about one of the last encounters between Stan Laurel and a mute, bed-bound Oliver Hardy. Jeffrey Holland, playing one half of the revered comedy duo, gives an impressive, nuanced performance, perfectly capturing the doddering reminiscences of an actor past his prime. Here Laurel is both world-weary and innocent; optimistic yet realistic about his beloved partner’s chances of recovering from a stroke. On occasion, his anecdotes feel contrived and lack the authenticity of real speech, tending to be directed more towards the audience than to his partner. However, such unnaturalness is soon lost in an otherwise great performance. It may be a one-man-show, but that single man is convincingly fractured.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [George Robb]
