A bubbly and brilliant evening of fun that makes the whole audience feel as warm and fuzzy as their legendary host!Summary
Rating
Excellent
Looking as handsome as ever, it’s hard to believe that the glorious Basil Brush has been performing for the past 65 years. He may have come to fame on TV, but more recently he’s been a regular in panto, wowing crowds late into the night at Glastonbury, and working on cruise ships and holiday camps. There’s absolutely no doubt that there is an eager market for his signature, snappy wit, with an excited crowd squeezing in to cabaret seating at New Wimbledon Theatre.
Wimbledon has come up with a genius plan to best use the venue: we enter through a side door straight on to the stage, where Basil is at one end and there’s a full bar at the other. To one side is a view of the glorious splendour of the theatre’s Frank Matcham auditorium: it’s a perfect space for this show.
Basil doesn’t pause for a second before launching in to his customary silliness, accompanied joyfully by Martin Cabble-Reid, or Mr Martin as he is of course known, who’s now in his ninth year as Basil’s sidekick. There’s a lovely relationship between the two, totally at ease in each other’s company, and Basil’s teasing is taken with warm good humour.
Live and Unleashed is not a children’s show, it’s for ages 15+, not because it’s rude, just because it covers more adult topics of conversation such as dating and politics. Even in the slightly saucy bits, Basil manages to pull things back with silly one-liners that dilute anything potentially crossing the line.
It’s a fun-packed couple of hours with a huge variety of features that have the audience howling with laughter, from off-the-shelf gags to guest appearances from Sooty & Sweep and a video chat with Hugh Bonneville. There’s even a special guest for the evening. Tonight it’s Matt Daniel-Baker, mind reader extraordinaire, who is bewilderingly talented but still upstaged by Basil’s side-splitting messing around behind him.
The evening appeals hugely to an enthusiastic audience relishing nostalgia. Basil treats us to his familiar catchphrase, “Boom boom”, which brings the house down. But the show also features bang up to date comedy on news of the day (let’s just say Prince Harry doesn’t come out of it well…). There’s plenty of participation throughout the evening too, with fans encouraged onstage to perform and even to put a pie in Mr Martin’s kisser. The show has an unapologetic playfulness that makes you feel as warm and fuzzy as our fabulous host himself, embracing your inner child.
Basil remains an unaffected, humble fox despite his mightily impressive career. He tells us of his lifetime achievement award from the British Puppet Guild, how he’s performed with superstar entertainers including the great Tom Jones and ABBA. He was even asked by Princess Diana to give a private show for young Wills and Harry! This is a performer of substance and standing (just not standing very tall…).
There is some fourth wall breaking when Basil comments on the bloke beneath his desk, and that guy really needs some credit. To spend two full hours with your arm in the air, never letting the superb, distinctive character drop for a second, while ad-libbing and telling jokes, and even offering an admirable rendition of ‘Nessun Dorma’, deserves considerable appreciation.
By the end of the night we’re on our feet clapping and singing along as if we were at a Butlins immersive experience, before popping to the front for selfies with the illustrious Mr Brush. The room is full of love and admiration and it’s been a truly exceptional evening out for the young at heart.
Written by: Malcolm McKee
Additional Material by: Martin Cabble-Reid and Michael Winsor
Produced by: Basil Brush Ltd
Basil Brush: Live and Unleashed has completed its run at New Wimbledon Theatre. For more venues and performance dates visit his website.
