SONGS FOR EUROPE

SONGS FOR EUROPE *****
JAMES (BIDDIE) BIDDLECOMBE  AND CHRIS MARSHAL
 at the PHEASANTRY
Biddie returns to the Pheasantry, Elegant as always. Even in this hot weather and totally surrounded by people in shirt sleeves he does not abandon his well cut DJ with its sparkling decoration. He seems more relaxed, than before with his Songs For Europe – a show devised by him and the musician Chris Marshall. They have described it as their preparation for the sinking of GB.
It is always such a pleasure to witness a performer who knows what he is doing. How to tease the customers to cover any little misdemeanour (whether accident or intended) by making his audience laugh even louder. His voice is always a joy to listen to as he has one of the most extensive vocal ranges in the business and he uses it to the full, both for serious numbers and for comic effect. He and Chris Marshall seem almost joined at the hip, they know and understand each other so well.
The so called European connections are mainly French – dismissing the Netherlands with a single sentence ‘How does it feel to be a dyke?  A simple joke but sends his loving audience into paroxysms of laughter.  
His Spanish  consists of a song from Valmouth – an old show by Sandy Wilson which uses a weird style of humour which suits his personality. This song  performed by the blasphemous Cardinal Pirelli is about ‘the cosiest church of all’  In fact The Cathedral of Clemenza. I got to thinking it might be time to return to this extraordinary show.
His French songs are sung beautifully ‘Sous Les Ponts de Paris’  and then he goes on to discuss the vandals who sleep under the bridge and a further song about the people who stay near the wine stores in order to breathe in the scent. He speaks French very well and I found that he spends most of his time renovating a broken down presbytery in France.  After the show he left immediately to visit the place in his heart.
The Euro bit falls apart slightly when they go back to their old favourite ‘The Old Bazaar in Cairo’   but it’s a great number they enjoy doing it  and its fun for the audience to join in.
There is so much to enjoy from these wonderful performers and the audience listen respectfully and laugh in all the right places…. Biddie works them so well.
They finish the act with ‘How can I say Auf Weidershein to you.
None of us wanted to finish off this lovely evening.