Take a peek inside the comic’s dressing room in new stage play
THE Dressing Room Civic Arts Centre, Oswaldtwistle, Saturday 13 August
Are stand-up comedians really as cheery as they seem? Or is there a much darker side to their personalities once they have stepped away from the stage?
It’s a question that’s wonderfully explored in a brand new play, Bobby Ball’s The Dressing Room, coming to Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre this weekend. The show brings together five comedians with around 200 years’ on-stage experience between them. Writer Bobby Ball is joined by double act partner Tommy Cannon, Yorkshire’s comedy veteran Johnnie Casson, top radio and TV impressionist Kate Robbins and pantomime favourite Stu Francis.
Like the title says, The Dressing Room offers the audience a sneaky peak into life behind the scenes of a comedy show. The audience will get to watch each star perform their own variety act as well as the things that happen backstage; the gossip, what they think of the audience, how they think the show is going – think Big Brother meets an oldschool variety show.
For some, the biggest surprise of The Dressing Room might well be its author – Mr Bobby Ball. After some recent impressive TV cameos (on Sky’s Mount Pleasant and Lee Mack’s BBC sitcom Not Going Out), the 72-yearold funnyman is now showcasing his hitherto unseen playwriting skills with The Dressing Room.