Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery’s Gas Hall is currently home to this fascinating exhibition of photographs of comedy legends – both past and present.

Taken by Andy Hollingworth over a period of more than 25 years, the images feature portraits of a host of household names captured in introspective moments in the photographic studio, on stage as they engage with audiences, behind the scenes as they battle the nerves and in disparate locations from theatre stairwells to seaside resorts.

There’s Steve Martin looking zany mid gag at the Royal Festival Hall in 2009, Tim Vine surrounded by a muddle of colourful props on stage at the Crewe Lyceum, Russell Kane stepping into the light of a darkened staircase at the Buxton Opera House in 2019 and many many more.

Some comedians never seem to leave their characters behind so we see a series of stills of Rowan Atkinson shifting his ever-expressive face until he hides behind a paper bag. Or there is a poignant shot of Cannon and Ball walking along Blackpool Pier with an arm slung over a shoulder in 2016 – their life of comedy and friendship caught in that moment.

Harry Hill is a blur of movement and yet still instantly recognisable from his dark glasses and boots while Phil Jupitus is a small speck alongside the giant Humber Bridge.

Andy was present at the press launch of the exhibition and, talking me through some of his favourite images, his love for comedy and capturing the essence of a performer shines through. He believes the whole world can be encapsulated in stage and screen humour and he aims to represent that in his images.

“For me comedy is absolutely central to society,” he says. “Not only does it make us laugh, it can make us think, it can bring about political change, it’s so many things but at the heart of it is love and laughter.”

Andy’s work is so eclectic because he is inspired not just by the specific comedian but by so many other elements.

“If someone is coming to the studio or I’m going to see someone on tour I will try and get some ideas for the photograph beforehand, I keep a sketchbook by my bed and in my pocket, and I will sketch out ideas. I’m inspired as much by photographs as poetry and music and art and film - they are all huge influences on me as well.

“So I will try and go with some ideas and most people are very happy to go with that. Sometimes it doesn’t work but in a similar way sometimes I am inspired by what is around me at that moment. So with the picture of Romesh Ranganathan at St George’s Hall in Liverpool, it was responding to the environment around me and the lighting was fantastic. The picture is a big favourite for both Romesh and myself.”

I photograph comedians! was first staged at Blackpool’s Showtown museum in 2024/5 but has been updated and localised for Birmingham with images of West Midlands comedians including Lenny Henry, Joe Lycett, Shazia Mirza, Jasper Carrott, Stewart Lee, Jo Enright, Frank Skinner, Mark Williams and Janice Connolly’s alter-ego Barbara Nice.

Andy believes the West Midlands has been pivotal in helping shape modern comedy. “You’ve got so many really important characters here,” he explains. “You’ve got Lenny Henry who after Charlie Williams was, certainly from my child’s point of view, the first black comedian from my generation who I saw on the telly.

He was massively influential and the way that he brought that black culture into my junior school years, those black characters and the idea of a pirate radio station was vitally important.

“If you think about Jasper Carrott, who was part of that wave of comedians who came through folk clubs like Billy Connolly, Mike Harding, Jasper - that became absolutely massive for about five or ten years and was very important as well.

“You’ve got Shazia Mirza who is among a whole generation of Asian comedians who are breaking through and the way that Goodness Gracious Me showed us an Asian view of British culture was brilliant. Just those four or five alone are vital to the changes in British comedy for the last 50-60 years.”

Alongside Andy’s images the exhibition also includes signature items linked to comedians such as Rik Mayall’s signed underpants, a costume from Victoria Wood’s Dinner Ladies television comedy, a 1984 tour jacket worn by Lenny Henry and Joe Lycett’s teddy bear suit.

Going back in time there is a hand-written set list from Tommy Cooper, a wallet which belonged to Eric Morecambe and a host of tickets and stage passes from shows across the country.

Andy has also photographed iconic objects linked to some of the great history legends including Tommy Cooper’s Fez hat, Ronnie Barker’s glasses and Stan Laurel’s bowler hat.

There is so much packed into this exhibition you could spend hours looking at the images and memorabilia, discussing them with your friends and going back down memory lane.

And that, says Andy, is very much the point. “I think the exhibition works on several levels. I love giving people ‘presents’ of nostalgia and that’s why we’ve put in things like the Tiswas annual, the Jasper tour stuff. There’s such a feeling of warmth, of childhood, of family, back in the time when we would all watch television and share our memories and go into school or work the next day and talk about it, that’s a lovely thing. And then I would hope that people enjoy the photographs for themselves as portraits.”

The exhibition is accompanied by an events programme featuring workshops, talks and film,
see birminghammuseums.org.uk for full information and tickets.

Five stars

I photograph comedians! was reviewed by Diane Parkes at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, where it shows until 31 May