Bowler Dessert Online

Neil Brand and Jeffrey Holland

 

Neil Brand - writer of the Laurel and Hardy drama 'Stan' and renowned pianist - is touring the country with his show 'An Evening with Laurel and Hardy', including Stan's home town of Ulverston on Sunday January 19th 2025 (moved from the Forum in Barrow). The description of the show is:

Neil Brand is acclaimed as the leading world expert on silent film and silent comedy, with his original composed music. He has been invited to appear & perform around the world in over 30 countries, appearing at major film festivals & theatres with his wonderful & unique insight into the birth of the early film industry & the geniuses involved.

From their earliest days on opposite sides of the Atlantic in Music Hall and on the stage, to their individual comedy films before they were paired up by Hal Roach, and on to their silent masterpieces before the arrival of sound, Neil will tell the touching story of the world’s greatest comedy team, who could not have been two more different men!

Fully illustrated with stills, clips (both silent and sound) and Neil’s superlative piano accompaniment and culminating in two of the Boys’ best silent short films, Big Business and Liberty, this is a show that promises gales of laughter throughout, as well as getting under the skin of two warm, funny men who continue to make the world laugh.

Full details of other venues can be found on Neil's website - https://www.laurelandhardypresentedbyneilbrand.co.uk/tour-dates/

In other news, I've spotted that L&H fan Jeffrey Holland has written his autobiography alongside Robert Ross, due for publication in February 2025. When I read the blurb about it on the Waterstones website, I was pleased to see that Stan Laurel was mentioned:

Fondly remembered as Spike Dixon in Hi-De-Hi, Jeffrey Holland is one of our best-loved situation comedy actors. An invaluable member of the repertory company of writer and director David Croft, his many other television credits include Are You Being Served?, Dad’s Army, It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, Oh, Doctor Beeching!, and You Rang, M’Lord?

 

Written in collaboration with Britain’s foremost comedy historian, Robert Ross, producer and presenter of the hugely successful touring show Jeffrey Holland: Comedy Friends and Heroes, this unique memoir reveals the hilarious tales from Holland’s long and illustrious career, through the comedy greats that have inspired him, to the comedy colleagues with whom he has worked. There will be heart-warming stories from his twenty-year association with Paul Shane and Su Pollard: BBC’s comedy ‘A’ Team of sitcom. There will be poignant and deep reflection on his all-time favourite comedian, Stan Laurel, and revealing stories of working with the great and good of variety theatre – from understudying Frankie Howerd in pantomime, to unforgettable encounters with Ben Warriss, the no-nonsense straight man of Jewel and Warriss fame, via many happy years as part of Russ Abbot’s Madhouse. Not to mention blissful thoughts on the joy of The Goon Show, and the thrill of stepping into the huge shoes of Peter Sellers, when the crazy characters were resurrected for Goon Again!

 

Filled with the enthusiasm and affection, The First Rule of Comedy..! is a life told through the eyes of one of the true greats of the genre.

I think that's one book I'll be adding to my reading list!

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 Stan Fan