“We have much more fun than the audience does. They should be paying us, not the other way around,” James McConnel admits.
The Emmy award-winning composer, author and pianist joins up with regular panellist on Radio 4’s Just A Minute, screenwriter, Country Life columnist, and opera director Kit Hesketh-Harvey for what they describe as “Flanders and Swann on steroids”.
The cabaret style duo are bringing their inimitable songs for an evening of “silliness, laughter and banter to Wytham, c/o The White Hart on Friday September 20.
” It’s very silly, topical songs with lots of dancing and banter. I suppose you could call it sophisticated comedy” James confides.
“Kit is mainly the lyricist and I write the music on the whole, all though we do chop and change a bit.
“But this is what we do for fun and what better way to see in your late middle-age than by singing songs to the bewildered.
“And as our audience is ageing with us we get double the figures now, because people bring their carers, so it’s all great fun.”
As for the material James says they cover everything from Macron to mackerel with a ditty about Nando’s thrown in for good measure, oh and one about chicken korma, as well as mining rights in South Africa.
A mixed bag then? “Well I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s all fun and games.
“We don’t mention Brexit though. People are sick to death of it. We managed to get through the whole Edinburgh Fringe Festival without mentioning it once.”
So is he looking forward to the ticketed event in Wytham’s Village hall? “We came to Wytham and did a show with Baz at The White Hart a few years ago and it sold out.
“So I’m sure this one will too. I don’t know how he does it but we just turn up, eat his marvellous food and then entertain everyone. But we find it much more entertaining than the audience does. That’s the magic.”
Dinner and performance tickets for Friday September 20 are priced at £45 per person. Dinner tables are available between 6pm and 7.30pm with the performance starting at 8.30pm. Some performance only tickets are available at £20.
For more information email markb@mindthe-gap.co.uk
