Musical comedy is flying high at the moment - thanks to acts such as Flight of the Conchords ("Formerly New Zealand's fourth-best folk parody duo") - and this special Musical Comedy Showcase at Madame Jojo's shows the genre has no intention of nose-diving. The show features a selection of the finalists from April's Tuborg Musical Comedy Awards and is MC'ed by the darling of London cabaret, Des O'Connor (not to be confused with the ITV gameshow host and singer of the same name). Performing tonight is the founder of the Free Fringe, Peter Buckley Hill ("He has the air of a deranged but affable uncle; his zeal is borderline lunatic" - Chortle). Guitar in hand, the oft-bearded loon sings rambling comic musings and reportedly has Tourette's - quite something when you consider his day job as University marketing lecturer. Support comes from the "twisted pop cabaret" couple, Frisky and Mannish, who parody anyone from Kate Nash to the Pussy Cat Dolls to rip-roaring effect, and Isy Suttie (Dobby from Peep Show), who blends pathos, bathos and lyrical brilliance with hypnotic charm. But the stand-out act is Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer, TMCA runner-up and purveyor of some of the most rambunctious tunes you'll hear in a long while. Looking dapper in a sports jacket, boater and cravat, Mr B is what happens when Eton goes ghetto - and surely is the best example of the growing banjo/posh rap crossover trend infiltrating the country. "Now listen, my good man, the misuse of the apostrophe's preposterous to me, it offends my very soul from my brogues to my bowler, it eludes me how you could be so unruly…" he sings, re-introducing chap-hop to the Queen's English, as spectators pinch themselves to make sure what they are seeing is not a surreal (but strangely pleasant) dream.
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