Billy Pearce Laughter Show 2008
The Billy Pearce Laughter Show
Published by Mark Ritchie – The Stage
Billy Pearce is first and foremost a comedian, but it should not be forgotten that he is also highly accomplished as a singer, dancer, actor and banjo player. Billy Pearce stars in The Billy Pearce Laughter Show at the Spa, Bridlington
This touring summer 2008 production provides the framework for Pearce to show just about everything he is capable of in one evening. The ultimate all-rounder also gets stuck in with cleverly presented illusion act Saffire and despite excellent support from the versatile singer Neil Hurst and the tuneful and well choreographed Linda Newport, this is very much Pearce’s comedy vehicle. This lavishly costumed and superbly choreographed production is easy on the eye and produced with plenty of detail.
With great respect to all the other fine British stand-ups who make their living in the precarious world of comedy, Pearce just has to be the most versatile, adaptable and enduringly funny comedians in the UK. His scattergun style of delivery is as quirky as it is unique and, in common with other comedy greats - and make no mistake, Pearce is surely one of the greats - his style is very much his own.
In a live situation there is quite simply no one like him and, despite the glaringly incongruous lack on television exposure, his star shines brightly and the full house in Bridlington is testament to his enduring appeal.
Though the Summer of 2008 the Billy Pearce Laughter Show is playing at the world famous Blackpool Tower, together with Bridlington & Scarborough Spa Theatres.
Photos of the show are coming soon, but you can read what the press had to say with the reviews from the Blackpool Gazette and Stage on the right hand side of this page.
Billy Irresistable
By Robin Duke - Blackpool Gazette
The Tower Ballroom is not the ideal venue for a stand-up comedian. But don't tell Billy Pearce. Its cluttered stage is high above the dance floor and there's a perilous flight of steps to manoeuvre before making eye contact with the seated audience.
Thankfully Billy Pearce is not merely a stand-up comedian. He’s not even a stand still one. He darts around and off the stage, breaks into songs and dances like he’s heard Tommy Steele has retired, thinks nothing of strapping on an amplified banjo
for a spirited revival of Leo Sayer’s The Show Must Go On and could probably knit you a scarf in the interval.
He’s one of a diminishing school of performers who can turn his talents to just about anything and for his second successive season of weekly visits to this unique venue, fronts a fast moving and refreshingly full bill. His comedy is mostly simple and frequently silly stuff - playing with words, sending up songs, tackling a comedy monologue and when in doubt, relying on flatulence and a weak bladdered toy dog (always a winner with all generations!). But he’s hard to resist and impossible to ignore especially when having taken the trouble to put on a full production show – albeit probably lifted from the East Coast.
The six colourful Julie Hatton Dancers help fill the stage and presumably hitched a lift from vocalists Neil Hurst and Linda Newport who during the week can be seen at Scarborough’s Spa Theatre. The company numbers work well and the two vocalists have a good stage chemistry as well as joining in the fun.
Likewise, popular illusionists Safire prove they have more up their sleeves than decapitation, levitation and sword dodging – being recruited to augment a Blues Brothers first half finale and an even bigger scale Copacabana grand finale.
The Billy Pearce Big Night Out runs every Sunday until October 26.
