Casualty actor plays iconic comic Tommy Cooper at Rhyl Pavillion Theatre

Mar 25 2010 by Mari Jones, North Wales Weekly News

Clive Mantle

CASUALTY star Clive Mantle is to play legendary British comic Tommy Cooper at the Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl, next month.

Jus’ Like That! A Night Out with Tommy Cooper is a hilarious evening of non-stop entertainment featuring all the best gags and magic that Tommy became famous for.

It is 25 years since the late, great Tommy died on stage at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London. Now, Clive Mantle recreates the iconic entertainer on April 12.

Clive says he was born to play Tommy Cooper as he too is 6ft 4in and has size 13 feet!

He conjures up Tommy’s gangling bulk with all the familiar trademarks – the fez, the laugh, the jokes and the bad magic.

A devout Cooper fan, Clive has been working with Geoffrey Durham (aka The Great Soprendo) on perfecting all of Tommy’s magic tricks.

Before your very eyes you will see pigeons appear, bottles disappear and hear all the jokes Tommy made famous.

Written by John Fisher and directed by Patrick Ryecart, Clive joins the team that first put the show on in London’s West End in 2003. Just like Tommy himself, Fisher and Durham are both Gold Star members of The Magic Circle.

Clive said: “This is a really great night out, whether or not you’re a Cooper fan.

“It is an evening of good old-fashioned variety that celebrates the life of Cooper.

“When I was a student living in a basement flat in Islington I used to love watching Tommy and howl with laughter.

“Thirty years on, I’ve come full circle. I’m back with Tommy. It’s such a privilege playing him – I genuinely love the man. He is one of the funniest comedians this country has ever produced..”

The 52-year-old said: “We’re reminding people what an outstanding comedian he was and reminding them what made them sit glued to their TV every Saturday night roaring with laughter.

“The show also gives them a glimpse of what went on behind all that.”

One of Tommy’s heroes was Arthur Askey, and Tommy wanted to be like him – nimble, dainty and precise.

“But he knew he wasn’t and soon caught on to the fact that if he tried to be like that and failed, it was funny.”