Last of the Summer Wine offers few real laughs

Oct 14 2009 by Andrew Coleman, Birmingham Mail

Last of the Summer Wine

ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM

IT’S been described as not so much a laughter show as a smiling show and this new stage adaptation of the classic television series certainly confirms that.

Roy Clarke’s comedy attracted only a tiny first-night theatre audience who must have found it difficult to comprehend that, in 1979, one episode attracted over 22 million TV viewers.

The current version is called The Moonbather, a rather weak tale which involves a streaker (Tony Adams). In the early scenes, the humour seems to rely on a collapsing bookshelf and the first real laughter occurs when Compo (Harry Dickman) and the streaker leave the stage for the front row.

John Pennington is a comfortable Foggy and there are sound performances from Timothy Kightley (Clegg), Steven Pinder (Bewmont) and Ruth Madoc (Meg).

All things considered, this is not a vintage Last Of The Summer Wine. Directed by Chris Jordan, it runs until Saturday.

VERDICT: HHIII

PAUL MARSTON