And Now, For Some British Humour
Reviewed by Mary Alderson
The Globus Theatre south of Bobcaygeon is staging the Canadian premiere of a new British play The Comeback. It’s the story of a pair of young comedians who are a warm-up act for two old comedians, and how they try to take over the old guys’ time slot.
This show is pure British humour. It got its start at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and moved on to London’s West End. Globus’s Artistic Director Sarah Quick, a native of the U.K. herself, brought it to Canada, and it’s now directed by her partner James Barrett.
The show has a bit of Monty Python’s Flying Circus in it: ridiculous sketches have the Python hallmark. It also has some British farce – far-fetched mistaken identities and crazy slapstick are reminiscent of Ray Cooney’s plays. And for Canadians, there is a touch of Wayne & Shuster’s nonsensical Vaudeville-like routines. Also, like Wayne & Shuster, the characters have asides to the audience and there is some audience participation.
So the two senior comedians, Jimmy and Sid, come out of retirement and try to make a comeback. Their warm-up act is a pair of young comedians who are hoping to make it big after years of just having fun on stage but not climbing the ladder to the big times. They may be ready to pack it in, if they don’t move their act to bigger and better stages.
Both pairs have the same big question: Do they stick with the old stuff that audiences seemed to enjoy in the past, or do they work new gags into their act?
What makes this play fun is the fact that both the older duo and the younger pair are played by the same actors: in this case it’s Jack Copland and Calvin Rea. Copland will be remembered for his excellent performances in Screwball Comedy and the Cinderella panto at Globus. Rea was seen recently in Murder at the Blue Moon Saloon. Both are funny guys who handle the switch between old and young characters very well. Their accents, demeanor and hats change so you can easily tell if they are the young Alex and Ben or the older Jimmy and Sid.
Some of the laughs are created by showing us what’s happening on stage and backstage at the same time. Crazy things occur when items are passed through the curtain. The back and front view comes to an irrational pitch when we aren’t sure where the chair is located! Can the audience see it, or is it only visible back stage?
At other times the jokes are just plain silly and the audience is probably groaning silently rather than laughing out loud.
Things go really crazy when they learn that a Hollywood director is in the audience. Both pairs are vying for his attention, hoping it will mean a chance at the big times. What this bit of competition does is make them realize that they have enjoyed each other’s company while on this adventure, working as a duo. That heartwarming bit gives this zany play some charm. While it moves temporarily from the ridiculous to the sublime, it goes quickly back to the absurd.
The pair of actors get some outside help during the show. Kudos to the characters in costume who appear, giving the two actors time to get in the right place in a madcap sequence.
I saw it on opening night and on occasion, the timing was a bit uneven. I’m confident that as the actors settle in with their audiences, their pace will smooth out and the laughs will tumble one on top of the next.
So, if your cup of tea is Monty Python, British farce and Wayne & Shuster rolled up in one silly, nonsensical show, you will love The Comeback. It’s worth the drive to the Globus.
The Comeback continues at the Globus Theatre near Bobcaygeon, until August 9. Tickets are available by calling the Box Office at 705-738-2037 or 1-800-304-7897 or visit https://www.lakeviewartsbarn.com/globus-current-season
Photo: Jack Copland and Calvin Rea play both Ben and Alex and Jimmy and Sid in The Comeback, at The Globus Theatre.
The Comeback
By Ben Ashenden and Alex Owen
Directed by James Barrett
Performed by Jack Copland and Calvin Rea
The Globus Theatre, south of Bobcaygeon
July 30 to August 9, 2025
Reviewed by Mary Alderson