A show about two iconic comedy heroes guarantees a good size crowd, which was the case here.

Easy pickings and no complaints about that if the show delivers.

Hats Off served up a potted life story, rattled out as if in a Keystone cop race against the clock.

After two years of touring the lookalikes appeared bored and as a result were monotonous.

Stan was struggling with his lines and once dried up completely. The actors successfully demonstrated that comedy is all about timing by having very little themselves.

The show was padded out with sad video recreations of some classic Laurel and Hardy movie scenes which proved that very point.

The stars' failed marriages were mentioned, but the dynamic of their own double act marriage was left unexplored. Yes, 'Babe' Hardy didn't like playing the fat oaf, but in a fat man/thin man story here was a vital element that deserved some imaginative consideration.

This was a lazy show that did no more than it had to and it did that with little or no theatrical invention. Fans would do better watching the real Laurel and Hardy on DVD while brushing up their background on Wikipedia.

Two stars