There is no better feeling than making people laugh ... but to do it as Eric and Ernie is a joy
What similarities are there between yourselves and Morecambe and Wise?
JONTY STEPHENS (Eric): Well, I’m bald and Ian’s got short, fat, hairy legs... but, seriously, our friendship is the key really. We’ve known each other for more than 30 years. We were best mates even before our journey performing as Eric and Ernie. We trust each other implicitly and always look out for each other on and off stage. You cannot fake that closeness and it was the same for Eric and Ernie.
IAN ASHPITEL (Ernie): Like Ernie, I also have a padlock on my wallet. (Laughs) No, it’s more about the relationship we have and that they had really. Both very different people, but ultimately like brothers with complete trust in one another.
What do Eric and Ernie’s families think of your show?
JONTY: We have been very lucky to have had amazing support from the Morecambe family and the estate of Ernie. We treasure our relationship with them.
We always try and run everything by them before we do anything as Eric and Ernie.
It’s vitally important that the families are happy with what we are doing and how we are portraying the boys.
What inspired the show?
JONTY: It all came about through other people seeing what we had from a fiveminute sketch and saying ‘you should do something with this’.
IAN: It’s only when we sat down and talked about it that we decided that if we were going to do it had to be a play that looked at the relationship between Eric and Ern. JONTY: It was a real voyage of discovery for both of us.
I was a massive Morecambe and Wise fan and had seen and read just about everything they’d ever done or had been written about them.
What is it like playing such comedy legends?
JONTY: There’s no better feeling the world than making people laugh, but to make them laugh as Morecambe and Wise ... it’s a joy to perform as them. They were so beloved by the public and we feel that affection doing the show.
IAN: It’s special and it’s us, as it was with them, as a duo, a double act, making people laugh.
What can audiences expect?
JONTY: It’s a real celebration of the comedy of Morecambe and Wise. You’ll see some of their most loved sketches along with some people may not be so familiar with.
IAN: Plus some new material by us in the style of Eric and Ernie and a few surprises.
JONTY: It’s real family entertainment with good, oldfashioned belly laughs at the silliness and brilliance of Eric and Ern. A lot of people are in tears at the end of the show. Which is a shame really because it’s meant to be a comedy!
How did you two meet?
IAN: We first met at drama school in 1983. I was a mature student….. JONTY: And I was an immature student.
IAN: Despite Jonty being two years ahead of me and me being a lowly first year, we became the best of friends and have remained so ever since. We’re both what you might describe as ‘jobbing actors’. We have both had good solid, varied acting careers in theatre, film and TV.
I’ve played everything from Chris Hart in Family Affairs and Roy Piper in Thin Ice and I’ve also done a lot of comedy with Armando Iannucci among others. The last TV thing I did was playing Mr Hardcastle on Mr Selfridge.
Photo credit: Paul Coltas
JONTY: I was a regular in Minder and did three series of All About Me with Jasper Carrott and have also worked with Lenny Henry.
People might have seen me most recently in Peaky Blinders.
What is the secret of Morecambe and Wise’s continuing appeal?
JONTY: They were just so funny. The running gags, Ernie’s wig, Eric’s glasses, their roots in variety with song and dance and the innocence of their comedy.
IAN: They had such broad appeal. We have mums, dads, children and grandparents – three generations – laughing at the same comedy, written, of course by the late, great Eddie Braben. There is nothing like it on TV today and I’m not sure there ever will be again.
JONTY: There’s a lovely interview where Eric says their secret is, ‘Well, I make him laugh and he makes me laugh’.
IAN: And that above all else for us is the key because we are exactly the same. When we’re trying new material if we both laugh at the same time then we know it’s going to work.
JONTY: Do we?
IAN: Yes!
ERIC & Ern is at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Cannock, on March 27, and Lichfield Garrick on May 1.