I never was a particular fan of Thomas Frederick Cooper, British prop comedian and magician.  It is safe to say that unlike my beloved father I just didn’t see Tommy Cooper as funny!

So, why on a freezing cold windy evening in March did I make my way to a one off performance of “A night out with Tommy Cooper - Jus’ Like That!” at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh?

That is simple! Clive Mantle!

Clive Mantle is portraying said comedian on an extensive UK tour from the 10^th February to 13^th June stopping at each venue from one to three nights. At 6ft 5 ½ inches Clive is taller than Tommy but only just, he is delighted to be playing the part of a man he admires and hopes to bring Cooper’s unique style to new audiences. He also looks forward to reminding the public just why the Red Fez and the catch phrase “Jus’ Like That!” was so popular in the 1970’s and 80’s.

I first noticed Clive as Little John in ‘Robin Hood’ in the 1980’s but he came to my attention more whilst watching Casualty and later Holby City where I kept wondering why we didn’t have consultants like Mike Barratt at my hospital. His attraction was heightened by his portrayal of a roguish cad who turns his amorous attentions on Geraldine Granger in The Vicar of Dibley. 

I still do not get the Tommy Cooper thing but admire Clive Mantle’s acting skills even more than before. Because of the magic content he trained with Geoffrey Durham, aka The Great Sorprendo, mastering many of Tommy’s tricks. Taking great delight in being able to baffle his wife and little boy, not to mention the audiences who flood in to see him night after night. Joined on stage by Carla Mendonca, better known to hundreds of children and teenagers as Sophie Johnson the alien mum in ‘My Parents Are Aliens’, plays all the females in the show from Tommy’s glamorous assistant to his PA, although not on stage often or for long, her characters are pivotal and extremely important in the whole story.

As often actors rely on the script to be able to put on a good performance and this show is written by John Fisher who should know what he is writing about. John worked with Tommy Cooper on several occasions, he has written Tommy’s biography and is a member of The Inner Magic Circle. His career has seen him working with comedians, magicians and entertainers for several decades he recently worked on Channel 4’s series Heroes of Comedy. Along with a quality script and performers the direction can make a reasonable show in to a great one and Patrick Ryecart’s certainly made total sense and made the action totally believable throughout, well the exception being the final scene in heaven. I was surprised to recognise Patrick’s face from numerous TV appearances and films and it was a meeting between Patrick and Clive during the filming of Holby City the possibility of this tour was discussed. The total collaboration of the team and inclusion of Geoffrey Durham as Magic Consultant created a show I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated despite the main subject matter not being totally to my taste and I would actually go back to see it again if I had the opportunity.