Review: Some Mothers Do '˜Ave '˜Em, The Hawth

A TV comedy treasure, starring a national comedy treasure - what can go wrong? That's right, nothing.
Sarah Earnshaw as Betty and Joe Pasquale as Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do 'Av 'Em. Picture by Scott RylanderSarah Earnshaw as Betty and Joe Pasquale as Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do 'Av 'Em. Picture by Scott Rylander
Sarah Earnshaw as Betty and Joe Pasquale as Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do 'Av 'Em. Picture by Scott Rylander

Joe Pasquale hit the Hawth stage this week as comedy icon Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em (on until Saturday May 26).

I can't remember the last time I watched an episode of the 1970s classic TV comedy, but I do remember laughing a lot like my eight-year-old son Noah did at the stage version.

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Pasquale stars as the lovable accident-prone bumbling imbecile of a protagonist while Sarah Earnshaw plays his wife Betty and Susie Blake is his disapproving Mother-in-Law, Mrs Fisher.

Joe Pasquale as Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Picture by Michael WharleyJoe Pasquale as Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Picture by Michael Wharley
Joe Pasquale as Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Picture by Michael Wharley

It can't be easy taking on the role of a comedy icon but Pasquale does it with aplomb. It's not an impression, it's a tribute to the legendary Crawford performance, but he does make the role his own. Earnshaw has the perfect voice and demeanour for the role of long-suffering Betty while Blake has incredible fun as Mrs Fisher - and she makes a very convincing drunk!

There was great support as well from Moray Treadwell, David Shaw-Parker and Chris Kiely.

The humour, like the the TV show, comes from a mixture of clever word play ('my profiterole vision'), innuendo and great slapstick. Pasquale falling down the stairs was a masterclass in pratfall.

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The set also deserves a special mention as it was a character itself - you were always waiting to see what it did next.

For a night of harmless fun and great entertainment, you could a lot worse.

Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em is directed by the award-winning Guy Unsworth.

Tickets: Tue-Thu: £32.50, £27.50, Wed & Sat 2.30pm: £28.50, £23.50, Fri & Sat: £36.50, £31.50.

Discounts - Hawth Friends/students (Mon-Thu eve): £3 off.

Over 60: Mon-Thu eve: £4 off, 2.30pm performances: £2 off.

Groups 10 or more: £5 off.

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