Musical comedian and Strictly champion Bill Bailey brings his Thoughtifier tour to the Playhouse for two days only.
Audiences expecting Bill’s usual mix of whimsy and comedy tunes will notice that the theme is slightly more downbeat this time around; his worries about climate change, the decline of his beloved flora and fauna, and the mental state of the UK are very clear. Somehow, though, he turns our ranking of second-unhappiest nation behind Uzbekistan into comedy gold.
Bailey’s mind is unpredictable as always, jumping between such unrelated topics as Cockney sherpas, the bad accents of Lord of the Rings, why being from the West Country is a death knell to breaking America, and nuclear fusion, all while he chomps on his prop pipe. Certainly, there’s a fair bit of ‘highbrow’ subjects such as the nuances of English grammar and gospel’s intricate rhythms, but the next moment there’s a song about buying peas at the supermarket and falling for the cashier. That’s the beauty of Bill.
We expected unusual instruments and weren’t disappointed: an African finger piano, 3-stringed saz and some ‘musical balls’ made an appearance, complete with chaotic audience interaction with a Richard Strauss classic! The only weak point for me was the ‘AI’ sea shanty, but apart from that the laughter didn’t let up, and the Pachelbel’s Canon finale was truly spectacular. His love for Edinburgh was clear too; he met his wife here, and his tribute to good friend and Fringe comrade Sean Lock was touching as he entered playing bagpipes.
Thoughtifier is another great slice of Bill’s crazy brain; just remember to stay until the house lights come up for a special treat…
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