Cabaret

The Ukulele Man: The Story of George Formby

The true story of Britain's greatest wartime entertainer!

$36.00
Sessions & Tickets
A medium close up of a young caucasian man dressed in a Khaki suit and beret looking directly into the camera with a surprised expression. His hands are open and raised to shoulder level, as if under arrest, and in his left hand he holds a banjo ukulele. The background is orange.
A medium close up of a young caucasian man with dark brown slicked back hair. He is wearing a vintage looking pin striped dark blue suit with a white shirt and a colourful tie and is playing a banjolele. He holds it with his left hand and gestures to the audience with his right hand. He is grinning. The background is black.
A young man (the same as the other images) and a middle-aged woman look out to the audience. The man is dressed in a Khaki suit, khaki shorts and a beret and is holding a banjolele. He has an expression of surprised laughter on his face. The woman is wearing a slim dark coloured dress with fake black-rimmed glasses and a fedora hat. In her left hand she is holding a bass ukulele and in her right, some sheets of paper. She is mid-sentence and so has a dynamic expression on her face.

Image Credit: Nat Cartney

A medium close up of a young caucasian man dressed in a Khaki suit and beret looking directly into the camera with a surprised expression. His hands are open and raised to shoulder level, as if under arrest, and in his left hand he holds a banjo ukulele. The background is orange.
A medium close up of a young caucasian man with dark brown slicked back hair. He is wearing a vintage looking pin striped dark blue suit with a white shirt and a colourful tie and is playing a banjolele. He holds it with his left hand and gestures to the audience with his right hand. He is grinning. The background is black.
A young man (the same as the other images) and a middle-aged woman look out to the audience. The man is dressed in a Khaki suit, khaki shorts and a beret and is holding a banjolele. He has an expression of surprised laughter on his face. The woman is wearing a slim dark coloured dress with fake black-rimmed glasses and a fedora hat. In her left hand she is holding a bass ukulele and in her right, some sheets of paper. She is mid-sentence and so has a dynamic expression on her face.

  • Written and Performed by: Marcel Cole

  • Performed by: Katie Cole

  • Directed by: Mirjana Ristevski

‘The Ukulele Man’ is the true story of wartime comedian and ukulele legend George Formby. From the Music Halls of Blackpool to the battlefields of Europe, this is the untold history of Britain's greatest entertainer!

He was banned by the BBC and committed to a psychiatric hospital by his wife, and yet still became the UK’s biggest star. Join Marcel Cole and his real life mother Katie for an hour of music, comedy and storytelling, as they take you back to an era when live entertainment was king, and pay homage to the greatest entertainer of them all.

'Cole is a stunner... Don't miss this.' - The Barefoot Review
'Hugely enjoyable, brilliantly executed.’ - CityNews
'Do whatever needs to be done to get a ticket.’ - Canberra Critics Circle

WINNER - 'Best Theatre' - Newcastle Fringe 2024
WINNER - 'Best Cabaret' Weekly Award - Adelaide Fringe 2024
WINNER - 'Critical Stages Touring Development Award' - Sydney Fringe 2023

About Marcel Cole

Marcel Cole is a multi-disciplinary artist from Canberra. He comes from a family of musical performers and so music, singing and performing have been a part of life ever since he could walk. Since then, he has trained extensively as a dancer in Canberra and at the New Zealand School of Dance in Wellington, NZ, and has studied theatre, mask and clown in Australia, London and Paris, most notably at the prestigious École Philippe Gaulier. He is currently touring the Australian Fringe circuit and is thrilled to be performing in Melbourne for the first time.

  • Duration: 60 minutes

  • Age suitability: PG

  • Event warnings: Contains Strobe Lights And Sustained Bright Lights, Both Sudden And Sustained Loud Noises, Some Infrequent/Low Pressure Audience Interaction.

  • Content warnings: Emotional Abuse, Sexual References, War, Mental Health.

  • Full: $36.00

  • Concession: $24.00

  • Group 6+: $24.00

  • Extra Applause: $42.00

  • Blak Tix: $10.00

  • Hump Day Discount: $27.00

Sessions: In Person Events

A single $5.50 transaction fee applies to your booking.

Date Time Venue

Tuesday, 01 October 2024

7:00pm

Speakeasy Theatre - The Vault

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Wednesday, 02 October 2024

7:00pm

Speakeasy Theatre - The Vault

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Thursday, 03 October 2024

7:00pm

Speakeasy Theatre - The Vault

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Friday, 04 October 2024

5:30pm

Speakeasy Theatre - The Vault

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Saturday, 05 October 2024

2:30pm

Speakeasy Theatre - The Vault

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Sunday, 06 October 2024

2:30pm

Speakeasy Theatre - The Vault

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