Now this is superb subject matter for a play, and it’s surprising no one has thought of it already.
Stand Laurel: Please Stand Up! is currently touring and stars Bob Kingdom - tonight it is on at Tewkesbury’s Roses Theatre.

Described as “funny and touching” the play explores Stan Jeefferson’s transformation into Stan Laurel, as well as covering boat rides with Charlie Chaplin and getting eight marriages to four women. Laurel’s daughter Lois Laurel-Hawes has also been involved in the play, while Kingdom’s previous shows have included performances as Dylan Thomas in Dylan Thomas: Return Journey and Truman Capote in The Truman Capote Talk Show.

Playing tonight - July 10th - tickets vost £11.50, £10.50 for concessions and £6.50 for students and children under 16.

Call Rose Theatre box office on (01684) 295074 for more information.

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VisitEngland has commissioned a poll on the best comedy-related destinations in order to promote these places as viable places to visit under the ComedyEngland.  Marketing manager at VisitBritain, Laurence Bresh said: “England is renowned for producing some of the best comedy in the world and our sense of humour is a trait that the English are famous for.”A bizarre idea, but interesting at the same time.  The list, then:

1. I’m Alan Partridge: Norfolk, Surrey and Hertfordshire

2. Last of the Summer Wine: Yorkshire Dales

3. Fawlty Towers: Torquay and Buckinghamshire

4. Only Fools and Horses: London and Bristol

5. Absolutely Fabulous: London

6. The Office: Slough and London

7. The Vicar of Dibley: Buckinghamshire

8. The League of Gentlemen: Peak District

9. Morecambe and Wise: Lancashire and Hertfordshire

10. The Royle Family: Manchester

And there I was thinking that the North of England would be seriously underrepresented… bit like the Comedy Map of Great Britain though, isn’t it…?

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With my spur-of-the-moment Les Dawson day, I thought what better time than to introduce a new category - Legendary Moments in Comedy! You may know this story - if not, it has been around for nearly 20 years, and there really is no reason to disbelieve it…

Sunderland Empire is 101 years old, and still going strong. However the theatre was in the news for different reasons back in 1976, as comic legend Sid James played his last part there, passing out on stage in front of an audience - he was declared dead on arrival at the local hospital.

Years later, in 1989, Les Dawson appeared at the venue - and is reported to have been greatly troubled by something that he saw in the dressing room; so much so he not only refused to describe in full what he had seen but he also turned down all further invitations to work at the Sunderland Empire.

Many believe that what Les Dawson saw was ghost of Sid James.

Les took the secret to the grave with him, but never set the rumour straight…

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