Scarborough Spa's organist Howard Beaumont plays live for Laurel and Hardy at North Bay Playhouse silent movie event
Another nice mess he’s got himself into – in the nicest possible way. Organist Howard Beaumont is playing accompaniment to two silent movies as part of a Laural and Hardy event at North Bay Playhouse in Scarborough at the weekend.
The ‘King of the Keyboards’ – who has had a residency at Scarborough Spa each summer season for 39 years – will play live for two 30-minute long Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel’s silent classics – From Soup to Nuts and Putting Pants on Philip.
“I love Laurel and Hardy and I love playing live for their movies,” said Howard. “The music has to come out of your head, there is no sheet music for it,” he said.
"When playing for these comedies, you have to watch the screen all the time and roll with it.”
Of course, as part of the music will be the comedy duo’s classic theme – Dance of the Cuckoos, Da, da, da; da, da, da; da-da da-da …
It is not just for people of a certain age, said Howard. “When the younger generation watch them, they are bowled away by them and it makes them laugh.
"Watching Laurel and Hardy on TV or YouTube is not the same as going to the cinema and seeing them on the big screen and someone playing live music fo the film,” he said.
Magic Silent Movie – which includes an interactive talk on Laureland Hardy by Dr Matt Lawson,of Oxford, – is at the North Bay Playhouse on Sunday September 13 at 2.30pm.
It will be followed by Laurel and Hardy’s Yorkshire Adventures at 5.30pm.
It is a film made by a father-and-daughter documentary-making duo Dean and Rebecca Sills.
It explores historical venues where Laurel and Hardy performed during their UK tours, featuring interviews and interactions with members of the Sons of the Desert fan groups in Bradford and Sheffield.
“This unusual and unique event will charm your socks off and transport you back to a world of mesmerising ‘silent’ film,” said North Bay Playhouse owner Jon Walker.
Tickets for both events are available on: https://northbayplayhouse.co.uk/