FRANKIE AND TOMMY: Lyons, Swan Worcester, till 12 October
FRANKIE AND TOMMY: Gary Lyons
Swan, Worcester: Tkts 01905 27322
Runs: 2h 20m, one interval, till 12 October
Review: Rod Dungate, 29 September 2002
An absorbing and often very funny look at a painful working relationship with a comic genius
It must be hell working a double act with a megalomaniac, self-centred and ill-tempered performer - particularly when he's a comic genius (a fact that at the time he knows but noone else does.)
This is the basis for Gary Lyons's absorbing (and often very funny ) play: it's about his father (Frankie Lyons)and the period ENSA teamed him up with Tommy Cooper.
The two met just after the war in Cairo and ENSA thought they would make a great team. Lyons's play explores the working relationship of the two men from his father's point of view. But he does it honestly. The play's interest lies in the fact that in addition to sharing with us Frankie's pain hurt and broken dreams as he's shat on from a great height, he also enables us to experience Tommy Cooper's pain. Cooper is presented as arrogant, selfish, self-centred: but we see too that he is driven by an irresistible desire to succeed as a funnyman. We see that he is driven by his search for perfection. Through Lyons's play we come to understand that magical power of a clown/comedian: as Frankie nicely sums it up for us 'We're the comedians - we've got the gift.'
The play also lets us share with Frankie the hard truth that Tommy does have it and Frankie doesn't.
Simon Grover gives a terrific performance as Tommy (no easy job). He doesn't exactly copy the famous man but rather creates an impression of him. It works very well and Cooper's idiosyncratic brand of magic still casts its hilarious spell.
Robin Simpson (Frankie) is enormously generous. Quietly sustaining his performance with high energy, he exudes kindness, creating a relaxed bridge into the play, and at the end a touching sadness of regret.
And should you also see the show as a celebration of Tommy Cooper's work, so what? It is, as well it should be. A great, great clown with a great, great tragic flaw.
Tommy: Simon Grover
Frankie: Robin Simpson
Director: Kim Greengrass
Design: Dawn Allsopp
Lighting: Richard G Jones
Magic Adviser: Peter Clifford
2002-09-30 12:07:06