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The funniest thing on six legs
Frightening sight: Andrew Fettes (left) and Ben Langley relax on their patented Dartmoor in a box as they contemplate how to solve the mystery of the beast of the Blistervilles at Lichfield Garrick Ha Ha Holmes Lichfield Garrick ***** THE Ha Ha Boys are back in town and just
as funny as ever with their take on Sherlock Holmes. After Ha Ha Hamlet and Ha Ha Hitler it is the
beast of the Blistervilles that comes in for the treatment in what could
be described as a loose – loose as in hardly connected - adaptation of
Conan Doyle's Dartmoor drama about the Baskervilles and their dog. Ben Langley is a well known panto star and has
been a Covent Garden street performer for 17 years. He is the writer,
director and driving force of the Ha Ha Boys and apart from producing
some witty scripts he also has that ability to make audiences laugh as
soon as he walks on stage - something Tommy Cooper had and, closer to
home, Alan Briscoe of Dandy. Langley is Holmes, complete with deerstalker and
calabash pipe while his long time sidekick Andrew Fettes is Dr Watson. Ha Ha sets are quite ingenious with a few boxes
transforming into everything from a circus tent to a ready laid table,
coach and four to country mansion, 221b Baker Street to The Great
Grimpen Mire. Every other part - seven of them – is
played by West End star Fenton Gray – look out for his eulogy given by
Sister Blodwyn Feckme. Old jokes but beautifully delivered. They don't make women like they used to . . . or could that be Fenton Gray as Fanny Stapleton in Sir Charles Blisterville's wig and hat . . . all part of the mystery for Ben Langley as Sherlock Gray is, or if he adds the Ha Ha Boys to his CV,
was, much in demand as Ko Ko among other G&S parts including appearing
at Saddlers Wells with D'Oyly Carte. He has also appeared in Les
Miserables in the West End and was Gus in the West End production
of Cats. All Ha Ha shows move at a frantic pace except
this one does have a 55 second pause, I won't tell you why, with
absolutely nothing happening and the three cast members just standing
around waiting with the only sound the audience laughing . . . at
absolutely nothing. Meanwhile adding a silent movie atmosphere to
proceedings and becoming the band for the songs is pianist Rob Eckland
and new addition to the Ha Ha personnel which does add a new dimension
with incidental music which in turn creates incidental jokes. To explain the story would probably take longer
than the show itself but all you have to remember is that all the
goodies and all the baddies are played by Fenton Gray so whenever he
appears you know to cheer or boo . . . or both. Finally for anyone thinking of going to see the
Ha Ha Boys don't wear anything distinctive, never look interested or
indeed look up whenever they are on the lookout for volunteers and don't
whatever you do, turn up as one of the last of the audience – unless you
like cheering, applause and celebrity status. Anything involving the Ha Ha Boys is lunacy with
a script – they stick to it as w'ell some of the time – it is theatrical
anarchy but it is very skilfully and cleverly done, the funniest thing
on six legs. Its sort of slapstick with an A-level, and anyone who fails
to laugh should have someone check their pulse. It runs to Saturday,
April 9. Roger Clarke
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