News: Charlie & Stan UK tour announces cast and new dates

Silent comedy Charlie & Stan has announced casting and new dates ahead of its UK tour from 17 July.

Telling the story of the greatest comedy duo that nearly was, the Told by an Idiot production is set to have its national press night on 2 August at the Minack Open Air Theatre in Cornwall.

Featuring an original piano score played live throughout, cast includes Danielle Bird as Charlie Chaplin, Jerone Marsh-Reid as Stan Laurel, Nick Haverson as Fred Karno and Sara Alexander as all of the other parts – including Charlie’s mother and the piano!

They will also be joined by Reggie, who makes his stage debut as Scraps the dog. On Sundays Scraps will be played by a puppet.

Famous Belgian clown, Jos Houben, who was one of the founding members of Complicité, has been brought on board as the physical comedy consultant.

In 1910, the then unknown Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel set sail on board a tramp steamer from Liverpool to New York as part of Fred Karno’s famous music hall troupe. On the voyage, they shared a cabin, they shared comedy routines, they shared laughter, but, by the end of the journey, they hated each other… yet they would both go on to become two of the biggest stars of the age.

Inspired by real life events, Told by an Idiot’s acclaimed production of Charlie & Stan is the remarkable story of the greatest comedy double act that nearly was.

Charlie & Stan is directed by Paul Hunter and designed by Ioana Curelea, with lighting design by Aideen Malone, video design by Dom Baker, original piano score by Mercury Award nominee Zoe Rahman and song arrangement by Sophie Cotton.

Jos Houben is physical comedy consultant and dance choreography is by Nuna Sandy for ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company.

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