Review: The Ukulele Man

**Picture (L to R)**: Katie Cole on foley, and Marcel Cole, *The* *Ukulele Man* (*Picture credit: Creative Futures Photography*)

If you are very quick, you might just be able to catch the award-winning Anywhere Festival show, The Ukelele Man, at Brisbane’s West End Raven Hotel Cellar.

The Ukulele Man is based on the true story of Britain’s greatest entertainer. George Formby was a British music hall legend, international film star and wartime entertainer, and the man who popularised the ukulele and banjolele with such classic songs as ‘Leaning on a Lamppost,’ ‘When I'm Cleaning Windows (The Window Cleaner),’ and ‘With My Little Ukelele in My Hand.’

If you are not familiar with Formby’s story, then I strongly recommend this one-hour show. It’s a tightly written piece that’s entertaining and provides an insight into 1930s-60s England (with some great comic songs). And, if you are familiar with what was often in the UK referred to as ‘seaside humour’ (for which read ‘look for the inuendo’ in what can be read as some slightly smutty numbers), and know some of Formby’s light comic songs, then I guess you will be singing along and enjoying every moment.

Marcel Cole is writer and leading man in this excellent festival show. It is easy to see why The Ukulele Man has been such a success at other fringe festivals across Australia. Marcel has a great ear for an accent, is more than capable of having the audience in the palm of his hand, and has closely observed the playing and singing style of George Formby. In a quick 60-minutes the show includes a run through of some of George Formby’s hits, cleverly used to touch on some of the ups and downs of his life. The rapturous applause was well deserved, and we all left smiling—and perhaps feeling just a little sorry for George Formby.

Marcel is aided and ably abetted by his mother, Katie Cole, who portrays a supporting cast that includes George Formby’s business manager/wife, Beryl Formby, various BBC radio announcers, and George Formby’s mother. Katie also plays a supporting orchestra, that variously includes keyboard, coconut foley, bass ukulele and violin. And the show benefits from the careful hand of Mirjana Ristevski (Director) and a skilled sound and light technician (George).

Marcel Cole’s show is a festival gem and deserves to sell-out every time. Take your mum (Marcel did!), gather a group of friends, or just go on your own. You won’t be disappointed. And, if you did miss it, petition the Brisbane Festival team to bring it back to the city. This is a story that would work well on the larger stage, and it would be great to see Marcel Cole extend the piece into a two-act show.

Catherine Lawrence

**Picture**: Marcel Cole, *The* *Ukulele Man* (*Picture credit: Creative Futures Photography*)

Audience information: The 2024 Anywhere Festival Brisbane program includes only five performances of The Ukelele Man (20-21 July 2024, 2pm and 7pm—plus a 9pm show on 21 July only) at The Raven Hotel, West End. Tickets $18-$26 (plus $3 ticket fee). Age 10+. Not suited for people with accessibility issues. Licensed to serve alcohol. 60 minutes.

The reviewer attended the 20 July 2024 2pm performance.

Geoff Lawrence