Lots of laughs at the Rex with classic comedic duo
The Laurel and Hardy film fun evening makes a welcome return to the Rex Cinema in EllandonSaturday,March19,after three years.
Top of the bill is SONS OF THE DESERT with three shorts in support – THAT’S MY WIFE, COME CLEAN and HELPMATES.
“This is the programme which was scheduled for 2020,” saidtheRex’sproprietorCharles Morris. “And we were a hair’s breadth away from showing it when the whole country was locked down. We are so glad to be reinstating our annual fun night at long last.”
Stan Laurel (Arthur Stanley Jefferson) and Oliver Hardy made seventy three 20-minute “tworeelers”andtwentysixfeature films between 1926 (when films were still silent) and 1952, whentheirfinalfilmAtollKwas released.
They were without doubt the screen’s most enduring comedy duo and the films selected for this year’s show represent the period between 1929 and 1934 when they were at the peak of their career; SONS OF THEDESERTisregardedasone of the best features they made.
THAT’SMYWIFEwasmade in the silent film era and will be accompanied on the organ by Ben Hinchliffe, who will also play before the show and during
the interval.
“Our Laurel and Hardy nights have maintained their popularity ever since our first one in 1994,” said Mr Morris. “In the last few years there has been so much enthusiasm that we held them every year until lockdown. Wegetmembersof theLaurel&Hardy‘tents’,asthe fan club is known, coming from far and wide and some dress up
inalltheirregalia. Wearealso hosting a Laurel & Hardy memorabilia stall, as previously. The atmosphere of three hundred people laughing in unison at the antics of these two clowns really makes the night. We get people of all ages coming; it really is quite an experience.”
This year’s show n Saturday March 19, starts at 7.30pm; tickets are £5.50 for everybody.
“Several people bought tickets in readiness for the 2020 show and we will honour these, but we would be grateful if peoplecanconfirmtheyarecoming soweknowhowmanyticketswe can still sell; we want to make it a full house if we can” said Mr Morris.
Ticketscanbeboughtonline at www.nm-cinemas.co.uk or from the cinema itself.