The show started as it meant to go on, with a list of tired old jokes from warm-up (and producer) Jon Naismith. And then the tired old stars sauntered on.
Barry Cryer, Graeme Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor have been on the Clue radio programme since it began. Jeremy Hardy is their regular fourth ‘panellist’ on tour and Jack Dee is the new kid on the block as chairman.
The audience in the New Theatre loved every awful pun and dodgy double-entendre. The team was, of course, playing to the converted — although, watching from the wings as I was, I was amazed to hear one member of the stage crew say he hadn’t heard of “the game called Mornington Crescent”! They kicked off with less well-known Mottos (“The Association of Norfolk Bakers: 200 Years in Bread”) and moved into a splendid session of One Song to the Tune of Another — Garden especially strong with I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts to O Sole Mio.
Things famous people would never say? “Crikey” from Gordon Ramsay, or “In all honesty . . .” from Jeffrey Archer? The Marquis de Sade with “Oh do be careful” was especially well received. The troupers were on fine form with a sat nav-assisted Mornington Crescent and Uxbridge English Dictionary (new definitions of words: “Midwifery” piped up Hardy, “part way through breaking wind”; “Rancour” growled Cryer knowingly, “a Japanese term of abuse”. Through it all sat Jack Dee, who had a lot of work to do and did it to laconic and well-timed perfection. The sixth member mustn’t be forgotten: Colin Sell, an excellent pianist.
There was an air of calm professionalism about the whole thing and the boys really seemed to be enjoying themselves at this last show of their stage tour. They gather again on Saturday to record two Clue radio shows. If they can still get good laughs from rounds like Welsh Film Fan Club (“Haverford West Was Won”, “Sheepless in Seattle” . . .), there’s no reason for the franchise ever to disappear.
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