Jon Culshaw celebrates Les Dawson

Les Dawson was a frequent performer at Leeds Heritage Theatres, performing in The Good Old Days at City Varieties and various pantos at Leeds Grand Theatre.

Now, Jon Culshaw, actor, comedian and impersonator, delivers a touching, funny and warm-hearted homage and celebration of the beloved and much-missed comedy legend in Les Dawson: Flying High.

This new play from BAFTA and Olivier Award-winning writer Tim Whitnall and director Bob Golding brilliantly channels all the emotions such a rich life would procure, gifting the audience with anecdotes, incidents, and insights into Les’ journey, as he travels on Concorde at twice the speed of sound 68,000 feet above the Earth.

Going beyond a basic recount of Dawson’s life, the piece explores contemporary themes such as mortality, identity, love, kindness, spiritual beliefs or even ambition, that paced Les’ life. Whitnall analyses concepts we have all faced, or inevitably will, as he magnificently narrates the happy moments, trials, and tribulations of Les’ life. He presents a more philosophical version of the late popular comedian, as he dives into his indisputable literary talent and the origin of such a successful and brilliant life.

Growing up, Les, the self-declared ‘slum kid’, yearned to be recognised for his writing prowess, and to transform his passion of literature into a full-time profession. Simultaneously, he discovered his ability to make people laugh and carried this ambition into adulthood, reflected in his acclaimed memoirs No Tears for the Clown. Initially considered a tedious task by Les, this autobiography acted as an abundant pool of information for Tim Whitnall, offering glimpses and lessons to be extracted out of Dawson’s spectacular flight through life.

It seems only fitting that Jon Culshaw is the one to take on the challenge of playing such an icon. Often regarded as Britain’s best impressionist, his catalogue includes over 350 characters, ranging from John Bishop to Barack Obama and from Professor Brian Cox to Michael ‘Govey’ Gove’  As a well-recognised entertainer, Jon has appeared on numerous comedy shows such as Dead Ringers, The Impressionable Jon Culshaw, Spitting Image, and The Impressions Show.

This is not the first collaboration between Jon Culshaw and Tim Whitnall.  In March 2022, Jon played ‘Hughie Green’ in Whitnall’s Lena, the moving story of Lena Zavaroni’s life and career.

Jon also played music icon David Bowie in dramatic play The Final Take: Bowie in the Studio (BBC Radio) and legendary documentary maker Alan Whicker in audio drama The Other side of the World with two Best Actor nominations in the New York Festivals and OneVoice awards.

From ambient music to inventive lighting and ingenious sound design, the play uses a variety of audio-visual effects, all participating in creating an entertaining, lively, and beautiful atmosphere. It is a must-see show, for all the family.