Eric and Little Ern

They were one of Britain’s greatest comedy partnerships, bringing sunshine to audiences across Britain. Indeed their 1977 Christmas special was watched by 28 million viewers – a figure that comedians could only dream of today.

And so impersonating television’s biggest and bestloved double act requires two very brave actors. Could Ian Ashpitel (Wise) and Jonty Stephens (Morecambe) step into their shoes?

This is not the first stage production to showcase the talents of the comedy legends. The Play What I Wrote, Morecambe, and Eric & Ernie have all won awards. No doubt this show will follow suit.

The scene is set in 1999. Wise is in a hospital room in Slough following a heart attack (he had previously had two strokes, the second of which saw him retire) when Morecambe, dressed in a doctor’s coat and those iconic glasses, walks on. Morecambe had been dead for nearly 15 years by 1999, so this is a reunion of the pair as Wise faces the final curtain.

Reminiscing about old times, we get to see classic sketches played out, including the stone in the paper bag, the Grieg Piano Concerto sketch, and of course jokes about Ernie’s wig. Just five minutes in and they’re in bed together, recreating one of Morecambe and Wise’s most famous sketches. In fact, this sketch almost never happened – ‘Two men in bed together is too controversial,’ Eric had explained to John Ammonds, the show’s producer, at the time.

The second half follows the format of The Morecambe & Wise Show, with more classic sketches and songs. The show finishes, and rightly so, with Bring Me Sunshine, a fitting end to a fantastic tribute to this illustrious pairing.


Stephens and Ashpitel are utterly believable and have got the comedy duo’s mannerisms down to a T. During the interval you could hear the murmur from the audience (which included Barry Cryer who wrote some of the pair’s gags at the height of their popularity in the 1970s): ‘Don’t they look good’, someone said. ‘It’s like the real thing up there,’ said another. And it really was. The pair manages to step into some very big shoes, in a show that is so well-rehearsed that it doesn’t feel rehearsed at all.

If anything, it also highlights the fact that old humour is the best humour with jokes such as ‘Your best wig has gone missing, but don’t worry, police are combing the area,’ still getting a huge laugh.

Spend your money wisely this Christmas: go and see Eric And Little Ern.

Until 12 January 2014 at Vaudeville Theatre, 404 Strand, London WC2: 0844-412 4663, www.imaxtheatres.com