REVIEW: What A Gay Day! The Larry Grayson Story at Bridge House Theatre 18 Feb - 1 March 2025

“Warm, funny and packed with nostalgic comedy value.” ★★★

The traditional definition of the word ‘gay’ is an adjective: “cheerful, lighthearted or carefree.’ In the late 19th century, it started to be used in reference to homosexual men and, by the mid-20th century, this became its primary meaning and included lesbians. Now, the gay label is outmoded, trumped by the more unapologetic Queer.

What a Gay Day! directed by Alex Donald (Lucky Dog) Is the perfect title for the play currently at the Bridge House Theatre that spotlights 1970s light entertainment star, Larry Grayson. Not only is the catchphrase synonymous with the comedian, it draws attention to shifting sensibilities that ultimately lead to Grayson’s fall from favour.

Luke Adamson assumes the ultra-camp persona, taking centre stage in a beige suit and relishing the deliciousness of endless innuendo and double entendres. Although he doesn’t look like him (thankfully, we’re spared any Dick Emery style buck teeth) and he doesn’t sound like him, this is a highly watchable, well-observed portrayal that mirrors many distinctive, memorable gestures. From the limp wrist, (“too limp to hold a rifle” so he was never enlisted) arms held aloft and occasional little backward kicks, Grayson is back in the room, literally risen from the dead regaling us with stories about Peek a Boo Pete, the window cleaner; Rise You Fred, the baker and many other Long Standing Members of the Community.

Grayson’s obsession with mediums and clairvoyants provides the ‘in’ for Tim Connery who wrote the script. Summoned from the afterlife by Madame Blower to tell the a story of his life, Grayson savours the spotlight for this one last audience. Told chronologically, from birth to death, with professional highlights and big breaks providing the narrative tent pegs, the tone is mainly upbeat, and…gay. Performing ‘shows’ as a child from a repurposed washhouse, Grayson always insisted one day he would be a star. As the comedian steps back of the stage to talk us through his personal life and,  forward to assume his stand up routine complete with canned laughter, there is lighthearted banter with the audience and occasional snide - but affectionate - remarks.

There is no whiff of scandal with Grayson in this version of events. There is no dark side or struggles with mental health. All those fallible, flawed dimensions that give depth and interest to comics like Tony Hancock or Kenneth Williams are kept at bay for a fairly expositional account . Conflict and obstacles make for strong drama and although there are some seeded in the storyline, they are reduced to side notes, when they might have been furrowed deeper, more emotionally and imaginatively.

How did Grayson feel when he was targeted by the Gay Liberation front for not being the ‘right’ sort of gay? Derided as an effete stereotype that made clowns of all gay men, there were pickets outside some of his big London shows. How painful must it have been when his contract wasn’t renewed by ITV? This was when comedy took a politically correct turn and he was consigned to history, deemed old school, and would hardly ever  work again. There was much scope for pathos here, and it is alluded to in moments, but on the whole, Gay wins.

There are many charming anecdotes about Grayson’s life to enjoy in this show. No matter how much money he earned, he would always return to Nuneaton, like a homing pigeon, the home of his family that adopted him. He would keep salt and vinegar in the glove compartment of his chauffeur driven Rolls Royce, so he was always ready for his favourite take away, fish and chips. He had a special friend once, Tom Proctor, that he had loved, but who died tragically young. Grayson kept his memory alive by recreating him as a character for his shows that was never seen: Everard. 

Larry Grayson brought laughter, lightness and ribaldry to the masses. He never had the attention of Kenneth Williams or Frankie Howard (who once threatened to sue Grayson for copying his act). He vanished into obscurity and was never seen again, a comedy dinosaur all but forgotten. But he was a trailblazer, pure vaudeville and out before it was legal. “I am what I am. You can’t do anything about it.” What a Gay Day! reinstates this forgotten entertainer and  in doing so entertains us all with a play that is warm, funny and packed with nostalgic comedy value. 

BOX OFFICE https://thebridgehousetheatre.co.uk/shows/what-a-gay-day-the-larry-grayson-story/

Cast

Luke Adamson

Artistic Team

Director

Alex Donald

Writer

Tim Connery

Producer

The Bridge House Theatre & Stage D'Or