ScotsGay Magazine

*****

****

Andrew and Michael have two very different agendas. Firstly, they want to deliver sharp tongued political satire, with some delightful up to the second intelligent verse. Secondly, they want to tell you some filthy jokes. In terms of the former, they are camp masters of innuendo. In the later they forget the nudge and the wink and just excrete it. The debate has raged amongst the press and the public around preference. Which Topping and Butch would you like this evening sir? (They are always delightfully camp of course).

Michael Topping is a natural performer, with an infectious laugh, and a perfect sense of comic timing. His improvised quips provide real comic highlights. He has the seemingly natural ability to bring enormous amounts of joy and laughter to everyone, including his comedy partner Andrew 'Butch' Simmons. It's great when performers aren't afraid to make each other chuckle. For his part, Andrew, the quick-witted, smiley comic actor and singer with enormous range, ensures that the energy and pace of whatever show the're doing never dips.

Both of them are exceedingly talented writers. Topping and Butch are a double act, that, if you can forgive the pun, has no straight man. For the satirical stuff, beg or pinch a ticket for Topping and Butch and Friends. Here they perform their now famous ditty, Never Mind and more great topical tunes. You'll also witness the most outrageous and hilarious treatment of their special guests. I never thought I'd see Reginald D Hunter in Topping's leather dress. Great credit should go to Reg for agreeing to get involved, greater credit should go to his rather lovely arse.

The T&B Friends show is a little shambolic in places, largely due to a couple of techie problems, but that didn't distract from a thoroughly entertaining evening. The night I was there also featured Justin Edwards and Lizzie Roper, cast members of "Tossers", sketch group "Greedy", Zoe Lyons with a brilliant Cherie Blair impersonation, Ex Porn Star Kirk Van Rimmer, the Scotsman reviewer Kate Copstick and a Twelve-piece Zimbabwean House Band. It was also great to see the fabulous Maggie Bourgein again. Quite what Neil and Christine Hamilton where doing there I'm not sure. The guest list changes, so I'll certainly be going again.

Filth, on the over hand, is just that. Filthy. Imagine a John Waters director's cut of a Carry On film. Rude, crude and, well, rude. The capacity audience loved it. Special mention should be given to Row, who cameos as a choir boy at the top of the show, though I imagine that performing with T&B might have turned the straight boy even straighter.

Filth is a lot of fun, but I personally think that the innuendo and the satire edge it over the filthy stuff. Others disagree, it's just a question of, um, taste really.

Martin Walker

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