We begin with titles projected onto a screen indicating a silent movie is taking place, and a very convincing Charlie Chaplin appears on stage doing expected Chaplinesque moves. Gradually he playfully selects members of the audience to take part in his ‘movie’. Each is allocated a specific role to play and given whispered instructions on what to do. The mood in the room is one of spirited fun!

If that were all that happened in the show, which at one false-ending moment seemed to be the case, we would have gone home with a smile thinking ‘wasn’t he good as Chaplin?’ and feeling like we’d had a pleasant evening. But there is much more to Smile: The Story of Charlie Chaplin than this.

We learn early on that Chaplin was not just a comic actor, but was the writer, producer and music composer for his films. We learn that as a film producer he was determined to keep making silent movies long after sound had changed the direction of movies.

We are in the Circulating Library, which of course contains a copy of the Charlie Chaplin biography, from which Cole has drawn his material. From this we learn that when it comes to making talkie movies Chaplin makes The Great Dictator, a film about Adolf Hitler. And we hear about his banishment from the country that had previously idolized him. We learn about his life with wife Oona in Switzerland, and that he only returned to the US at age 83 to collect an honorary Oscar.

Marcel Cole has studied Chaplin’s complex life and condensed it into a show that is both extremely entertaining and illuminating at the same time. His mime skills keep the laughter coming. His ability to carry the more serious moments is impressive. Tonight there are a few technical issues with the screen towards the end, but Marcel keeps the show going with great aplomb.

I enjoyed his George Formby show last year, but this is better. Marcel Cole is definitely someone to keep an eye on!