The Strange Tale of Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel

Details

In 1910 the unknown Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel set sail for New York as part of Fred Karno's famous music hall troupe. On this journey, Charlie and Stan shared a cabin and then spent two years together touring North America, with Stan as Charlie's understudy. Stan returned home, later finding success with his soulmate Oliver Hardy. Charlie developed his Little Tramp character and within five years became one of the most famous figures in the world. In Charlie Chaplin's highly detailed autobiography Stan Laurel is never mentioned. Stan talked about Charlie all his life. Playing fast and loose with the facts and with an original piano score composed by Mercury Award Nominee Zoe Rahman The Strange Tale of Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel is no nostalgic bio-drama, but a hilarious and deeply moving homage to two men who changed the world of comedy forever.

Creatives/Company

Author: Paul Hunter
Producer(s): Told by an Idiot, Theatre Royal Plymouth (with Royal & Derngate Northampton and Unity Theatre Liverpool)
Director: Paul Hunter
Design: Ioana Curelea
Lighting: Aideen Malone
Music: Zoe Rahman
Other(s): Sophie Cotton (song arrangements), Jos Houben (physical comedy consultant)