AS the stage exterior collapses all around him, you can't help but laugh as Joe Pasquale remains resolute in his character's dream to be a star.
As part of a star-studded cast, Pasquale plays the clumsy, loveable, yet often delusional character of Frank Spencer in the remake of the classic 1970s comedy 'Some Mother's Do 'Ave Em'.
With Sarah Earnshaw playing Frank's long-suffering wife Betty and Susie Blake as his disapproving mother-in-law Mrs Fisher, the performance is on a run of seven shows at St Helens Theatre Royal from Tuesday, August 2 until Saturday, August 6.
On stage, Frank sails single-mindedly in his desire to be a world-famous magician while the audience sees a worrisome Betty desperate to tell her husband that she is pregnant.
Pre-occupied with his dream and fixing the ever-falling furniture, Frank is oblivious to the news as guests arrive for dinner; setting up a recipe for disaster.
With Pasquale's flawless execution of tongue-twisters and incorrect phrasings, the dinner descends into a hilarious mix-up of crossed wires and priceless misunderstandings.
In Act Two, we see a more determined Frank attempting to secure a role on the BBC's 'Stars of Tomorrow' show.
However, nothing can go right for the accident-prone magician as he can't follow instructions, can't remember his lines, and unwittingly injures other characters; while Mrs Fisher causes more living room mayhem with her increasingly drunken antics.
Desperately clinging to his dream despite the calamity surrounding him, Frank's luck begins to change once the Police Constable enters the fray - albeit not before another round of song-and-dance and back-and-forth mix-ups.
From one disaster to the next, the evening doesn't plan out as any character intends yet Frank unexpectedly becomes the hero in this quick-witted calamity.
Although his dreams of becoming a magician may forever elude him, the sweet ending with Betty and poignant memories of his mother indicates that Frank will succeed in his new job of being a father.
As the show draws to a close and the battered stage resembles nothing like the opening sequence, it is clear that Pasquale and co have taken the audience on an entertaining journey of ups and downs and unpredictable mismatches.
With each actor confident in their character's wit, charm, and execution, they deservedly received a standing ovation from the opening audience at St Helens Theatre Royal.
Tickets can be bought via this link for the run of shows at St Helens Theatre Royal.
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