Uploaded April 2014 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
nallon.com
Follow on Twitter @SteveNallon - more information on CISSIE AND ADA go to: nallon.com/?page_id=115
In this video Steve Nallon as Roy Barraclough rehearses a Cissie and Ada sketch with Les Dawson (Eric Potts).
'Cissie and Ada', the immortal comic characters created by the late, great Les Dawson aided and abetted by Roy Barraclough, grace the theatre stage once more in this hilarious comic play.
Written by playwright Graham Warrener in collaboration with original Cissie and Ada scriptwriter Terry Ravenscroft, CISSIE AND ADA not only takes us behind scenes of BBC Light Entertainment in the 80s it also brings Dawson and Barraclough's comedy creations back to life.
The Cissie and Ada characters first appeared on the Sez Les TV show in the 1970s, and came about by Les and Roy improvising two northern women whilst waiting around during the TV rehearsals. The play recreates some of the classic sketches as well as offering an insight into how those hilarious comic creations came about.
Eric Potts plays Les Dawson and Steve Nallon plays Roy Barraclough with Steven Arnold as Terry Ravenscroft and Natasha Magigi as Sandra, the dresser.
"Barraclough is the calming influence, apologising for his friend's misdeeds, and being a bit of a nag about Dawson's drinking... Steve Nallon does a grand job of rounding out an empathetic character, occasionally injecting some waspish camp." Chortle
"Steve Nallon excels in the role of Dawson's suffering side-kick Roy Barraclough and his comic sketch alter-ego Cissie." Rotherham Advertiser
"The part of Roy Battaclough (Cissie) is handled with style by Steve Nallon... close your eyes and it's difficult not to think Mr Dawson and Mr Barraclough are not on stage." Wigan Observer
"Steve Nallon, as Dawson's sidekick Roy Barraclough, proved a perfect foil and captured Cissie's mannerisms to a tee." Northern Echo
"Dawson and Barraclough's television act as Ada, vulgar and outspoken, Cissie, genteel in the extreme, belongs to the British music hall tradition... Steve Nallon is perfect as Cissie and Barraclough." Reviews Gate
"Eric is excellent as Ada... great comic timing... matched by Steve Nallon as Cissie. He has some of the best lines in the play." Newark Advertiser
"Steve Nallon, as Dawson's sidekick Roy Barraclough, proved a perfect foil and captured Cissie's mannerisms to a tee." Northern Echo
"This play is very funny but it is also very poignant... Steve Nallon captures Roy Barraclough." Sussex Express
"Brilliantly played by Eric Potts... Steve Nallon was equally convincing as Roy Barraclough/Cissie, caught between empathy for Les and distaste for his partner's treatment of those around him." Wakefield Express
The director is JJ Almond and the show is produced by Cutting the Strings Theatre Company. The show began at the Broadway Theatre Barking and went on to have a success nationwide tour in the autumn of 2013 including The Lowry, Salford; Opera House, Buxton; Wyvern, Swindon; Gatehouse, Stafford; Civic Theatre, Rotherham; Grand Theatre, Lancaster; Sands Theatre, Carlisle; The Plaza, Stockport; Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl; The Playhouse, Weston Super-mare; Customs House, South Shields; Civic Theatre, Darlington; Capitol, Horsham; Assembly Hall, Tunbridge Wells; Theatre Royal, Wakefield; Pomegranate, Chesterfield; Devonshire Theatre, Eastbourne; Marina Theatre, Lowestoft; Lighthouse, Poole; Spa Theatre, Bridlington; Lyceum, Crew and Grand Theatre, Blackpool (where Les and Roy once performed 'Cissie and Ada' themselves).
nallon.com
Follow on Twitter @SteveNallon - more information on CISSIE AND ADA go to: nallon.com/?page_id=115
In this video Steve Nallon as Roy Barraclough rehearses a Cissie and Ada sketch with Les Dawson (Eric Potts).
'Cissie and Ada', the immortal comic characters created by the late, great Les Dawson aided and abetted by Roy Barraclough, grace the theatre stage once more in this hilarious comic play.
Written by playwright Graham Warrener in collaboration with original Cissie and Ada scriptwriter Terry Ravenscroft, CISSIE AND ADA not only takes us behind scenes of BBC Light Entertainment in the 80s it also brings Dawson and Barraclough's comedy creations back to life.
The Cissie and Ada characters first appeared on the Sez Les TV show in the 1970s, and came about by Les and Roy improvising two northern women whilst waiting around during the TV rehearsals. The play recreates some of the classic sketches as well as offering an insight into how those hilarious comic creations came about.
Eric Potts plays Les Dawson and Steve Nallon plays Roy Barraclough with Steven Arnold as Terry Ravenscroft and Natasha Magigi as Sandra, the dresser.
"Barraclough is the calming influence, apologising for his friend's misdeeds, and being a bit of a nag about Dawson's drinking... Steve Nallon does a grand job of rounding out an empathetic character, occasionally injecting some waspish camp." Chortle
"Steve Nallon excels in the role of Dawson's suffering side-kick Roy Barraclough and his comic sketch alter-ego Cissie." Rotherham Advertiser
"The part of Roy Battaclough (Cissie) is handled with style by Steve Nallon... close your eyes and it's difficult not to think Mr Dawson and Mr Barraclough are not on stage." Wigan Observer
"Steve Nallon, as Dawson's sidekick Roy Barraclough, proved a perfect foil and captured Cissie's mannerisms to a tee." Northern Echo
"Dawson and Barraclough's television act as Ada, vulgar and outspoken, Cissie, genteel in the extreme, belongs to the British music hall tradition... Steve Nallon is perfect as Cissie and Barraclough." Reviews Gate
"Eric is excellent as Ada... great comic timing... matched by Steve Nallon as Cissie. He has some of the best lines in the play." Newark Advertiser
"Steve Nallon, as Dawson's sidekick Roy Barraclough, proved a perfect foil and captured Cissie's mannerisms to a tee." Northern Echo
"This play is very funny but it is also very poignant... Steve Nallon captures Roy Barraclough." Sussex Express
"Brilliantly played by Eric Potts... Steve Nallon was equally convincing as Roy Barraclough/Cissie, caught between empathy for Les and distaste for his partner's treatment of those around him." Wakefield Express
The director is JJ Almond and the show is produced by Cutting the Strings Theatre Company. The show began at the Broadway Theatre Barking and went on to have a success nationwide tour in the autumn of 2013 including The Lowry, Salford; Opera House, Buxton; Wyvern, Swindon; Gatehouse, Stafford; Civic Theatre, Rotherham; Grand Theatre, Lancaster; Sands Theatre, Carlisle; The Plaza, Stockport; Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl; The Playhouse, Weston Super-mare; Customs House, South Shields; Civic Theatre, Darlington; Capitol, Horsham; Assembly Hall, Tunbridge Wells; Theatre Royal, Wakefield; Pomegranate, Chesterfield; Devonshire Theatre, Eastbourne; Marina Theatre, Lowestoft; Lighthouse, Poole; Spa Theatre, Bridlington; Lyceum, Crew and Grand Theatre, Blackpool (where Les and Roy once performed 'Cissie and Ada' themselves).
