The story of Torquay’s Princess Theatre began on June 7, 1961, with a spectacular bill that was headlined by the legendary Tommy Cooper and the incomparable Morecambe and Wise, opening the doors to establishing itself as the premier entertainment destination on the English Riviera, writes Neil Edwards.

They may all have passed now, but have been brought back to life in what is a fitting show to celebrate the theatre’s 65th anniversary.

The Last Laugh centres on Tommy Cooper, played by Damian Williams, who is coming to the end of his career. Once successful, he now faces the challenge of staying relevant in a changing world. He is joined by two other icons of comedy, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse, convincingly portrayed by Steve Royle and Simon Cartwright.

All the actors superbly present the trademark nuances of their characters from Tommy’s infectious laugh and corny one-liners, Eric’s flick of his glasses, thigh slapping and mischievous looks to Bob’s distinctive voice and dazzling smile!

The script is sharp and well written, mixing witty jokes with more serious reflections. The humour feels natural rather than forced, and the dialogue flows easily, helping the audience stay connected to the character’s journey.

Their comic timing is excellent, bringing real laughs in the lighter moments, but they also handle the more emotional scenes with care. This balance helps create believable characters that are proud of their past successes but uncertain about the future.

This is all staged in a simple but effective dingy dressing room with comedic greats of old adorning the walls and old flyers and posters dotted around providing clever easter eggs for the eagle-eyed audience.

One of the show’s greatest strengths is its tone. It manages to move between humour and seriousness without feeling awkward. Just as the audience settles into laughter, the play introduces quieter moments that encourage reflection with clever use of music. These shifts feel natural and give the production greater depth.

What makes The Last Laugh stand out is its honesty. It doesn’t just celebrate comedy - it also looks at its challenges. It shows how performers depend on audience reactions, and how difficult it can be when that response changes. The play raises important questions about success, identity, and what happens when the spotlight fades.

Comedy may have changed slightly with the introduction of social media, but that there are current comedy greats treading the boards, keeping that Golden Age of being in front of a live audience still relevant and in the end reminding us that behind every joke is a human story making The Last Laugh truly memorable - ‘Just like that’.

The show runs at the Princess Theatre until Saturday, June 13.