Chaotic fun from the Hairy Bikers in Birmingham
Ant and Dec meet Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, with a bit of modern day music hall thrown in, is hardly a description you would expect of TV favourites the Hairy Bikers.
But it was that and a whole lot more when they brought their show to an appreciative audience in Birmingham last night.
The two cheeky chappies from the north, Dave Myers and Si King, delivered a chaotic recipe of escapology, wheel of fortune, striptease, rubbish dancing and even worse singing, and, oh yes, a bit of cooking.
The hirsute pair have become staggeringly successful household names over the last few years with their travelogue-style cooking programme featuring easy charm and mild comedy designed to offend no-one. Their self-deprecating humour works – as demonstrated by a near full house with audience age ranging from primary school children to pensioners.
But moving their TV formula to the stage is something of a challenge.
They did cheat a bit, interspersing the act with fairly lengthy clips from their TV show, while launching into some puzzling routines.
A chaotic formula but still pretty clever and it left the crowd howling for more.
Hairy Bikers, Larger than Live, at the New Alexandra Theatre
By Bill McCarthy
