Being the first format-breaker for TWASSC, the show goes on the road the Blackpool, and takes up residence at the Layton Institute. Cue plenty of gags about the Tower!
The acts are the same mix of variety-show wh*res, then-current singers and twilight-era stars, but with a bigger audience to play to. Shep's Banjo Boys were a staple of 70s TV shows (even stretching in the 80s) and do their stuff, even going double-time when Manning tells them to hurry up and get off.
The very cute Stephanie De Sykes (and her almost superfluous backing singers, Rain) put on a great performance of her top-10 hit "Born With a Smile on my Face", and a number of brown-ale crowd watching clearly have their eyes on more than just the dagger-like collars on her blouse
The biggest shock comes in the form of an impressionist whom isn't painful to watch! I'll go one better - Dave Evans pulls a really entertaining turn out of the bag, with excellent impressions of Eric Morecambe, Groucho Marx and, surprisingly, Acker Bilk. OK, I'd heard a couple of the gags before, but they were done with real energy. It's hardly surprising that that same manic intensity transferred to his son, Lee Evans.
Things hit a wall with the arrival of Johnny Hackett, with a familiar blend of half-hearted audience participation and playing to the back row. Having seen him on a few episodes of The Good Old Days, I knew what to expect, and let's just politely leave things with "he didn't disappoint".
Much better was former Eurovision contender Malcolm Roberts, who belts out an agreeable rendition of the classic "She", before buggering off far too soon to make way for The Kaye Sisters, who's clear disparity in looks and ages make it abundantly obvious that they are siblings in showbiz name only. Along way from their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, they hadn't released a single for almost ten years, treading water since their heyday in the 50s/early 60s. Their act wasn't old enough to be considered nostalgic by that point, just profoundly dated.
Now onto the aspect which really puts the mockers on the whole thing. Manning had becoming less professional as the show went on, with the intake of alcohol clearly the catalyst. He would insult bands like The Crickets before they came on (suggesting that they he had no say in the acts appearing, and wouldn't have had them if it were his choice - many a truth, etc...) and heckle acts with to the point where it genuinely disrupted their flow. OK, Colin Crompton regularly did so, but it was all both in fun and in character, and clearly pre-arranged it with some of the performers. Here, Manning is clearly one-over-the-eight, as his heckles have some real venom to them. When introducing De Sykes, he forgets the name, and quickly glances round to read it off of his notes. He does so again later, but for comedic effect and (presumably) play down that he earlier forgot one of the names.
Worst of all is when Crompton takes the stage, and Manning gets him hands of the club fire-bell. Although fellow "Comedians" veteran Crompton is clearly used to appearing on stage as a stand-up, he's taken right out of his comfort zone with a George Formby impression as he performs "With My Little Stick Of Blackpool Rock". He's unquestionably nervous, and not helped by Manning constantly ringing the bell and aiming vitriolic zingers at him. You can see the confidence draining out of him, and he's clearly very upset that Manning is tearing him down and trashing his act. OK, comedians are supposed to be hardened against insults, but his eyes and facial quivering tell another story. Manning and Crompton famously had an antagonistic relationship, and it seems that this was the opportunity Manning had been waiting for.
It all ends with a sing-a-long of "Show Me The Way To Go Home", which might have closed it on a belter, but with Manning changing the delivery, there was no chance. As a matter of fact, the curtain-call echoed the traditional closer to an episode of The Good Old Days, with its perennial rendition of "Down At The Old Bull & Bush"
The bookending photos of Manning and Crompton taking in the sites of Blackpool are fun, although they seem a little forced - you wonder if the pictures were taken before or after taping the show....
The acts are the same mix of variety-show wh*res, then-current singers and twilight-era stars, but with a bigger audience to play to. Shep's Banjo Boys were a staple of 70s TV shows (even stretching in the 80s) and do their stuff, even going double-time when Manning tells them to hurry up and get off.
The very cute Stephanie De Sykes (and her almost superfluous backing singers, Rain) put on a great performance of her top-10 hit "Born With a Smile on my Face", and a number of brown-ale crowd watching clearly have their eyes on more than just the dagger-like collars on her blouse
The biggest shock comes in the form of an impressionist whom isn't painful to watch! I'll go one better - Dave Evans pulls a really entertaining turn out of the bag, with excellent impressions of Eric Morecambe, Groucho Marx and, surprisingly, Acker Bilk. OK, I'd heard a couple of the gags before, but they were done with real energy. It's hardly surprising that that same manic intensity transferred to his son, Lee Evans.
Things hit a wall with the arrival of Johnny Hackett, with a familiar blend of half-hearted audience participation and playing to the back row. Having seen him on a few episodes of The Good Old Days, I knew what to expect, and let's just politely leave things with "he didn't disappoint".
Much better was former Eurovision contender Malcolm Roberts, who belts out an agreeable rendition of the classic "She", before buggering off far too soon to make way for The Kaye Sisters, who's clear disparity in looks and ages make it abundantly obvious that they are siblings in showbiz name only. Along way from their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, they hadn't released a single for almost ten years, treading water since their heyday in the 50s/early 60s. Their act wasn't old enough to be considered nostalgic by that point, just profoundly dated.
Now onto the aspect which really puts the mockers on the whole thing. Manning had becoming less professional as the show went on, with the intake of alcohol clearly the catalyst. He would insult bands like The Crickets before they came on (suggesting that they he had no say in the acts appearing, and wouldn't have had them if it were his choice - many a truth, etc...) and heckle acts with to the point where it genuinely disrupted their flow. OK, Colin Crompton regularly did so, but it was all both in fun and in character, and clearly pre-arranged it with some of the performers. Here, Manning is clearly one-over-the-eight, as his heckles have some real venom to them. When introducing De Sykes, he forgets the name, and quickly glances round to read it off of his notes. He does so again later, but for comedic effect and (presumably) play down that he earlier forgot one of the names.
Worst of all is when Crompton takes the stage, and Manning gets him hands of the club fire-bell. Although fellow "Comedians" veteran Crompton is clearly used to appearing on stage as a stand-up, he's taken right out of his comfort zone with a George Formby impression as he performs "With My Little Stick Of Blackpool Rock". He's unquestionably nervous, and not helped by Manning constantly ringing the bell and aiming vitriolic zingers at him. You can see the confidence draining out of him, and he's clearly very upset that Manning is tearing him down and trashing his act. OK, comedians are supposed to be hardened against insults, but his eyes and facial quivering tell another story. Manning and Crompton famously had an antagonistic relationship, and it seems that this was the opportunity Manning had been waiting for.
It all ends with a sing-a-long of "Show Me The Way To Go Home", which might have closed it on a belter, but with Manning changing the delivery, there was no chance. As a matter of fact, the curtain-call echoed the traditional closer to an episode of The Good Old Days, with its perennial rendition of "Down At The Old Bull & Bush"
The bookending photos of Manning and Crompton taking in the sites of Blackpool are fun, although they seem a little forced - you wonder if the pictures were taken before or after taping the show....