Katzenjammer in concert

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Katzenjammer
Live Review
The Pheasantry

After Tim Minchin proved that comedy and virtuosic piano playing can go hand-in-hand comes Katzenjammer, who take that expression literally.

For the main gimmick of ivory-tinkling duo – not to be mistaken for the Norwegian folk-pop band of the same name – is that they both play the same keyboard at the same time, the flurry of overlapping hands projected onto a screen behind them.

It’s a hugely impressive trick, but what do they do with it? Well, they’ve weaved together an entertaining hour or so of stylish, witty banter, comic song and blatant musical showboating that may not be as comically inventive as latter-day Minchin, but draws strong laughs nonetheless. Aimed at revue sophisticates, their tone is more pointed than your average revue turn, and while camp is a frequent presence, it’s not used as a substitute for wit.

Katzenjammer, a German word for a discordant sound, or, literally ‘cat’s wail’, comprise Steven Worbey and Kevin Farrell – who sometimes, but not always, fall into the broadly traditional double-act dynamic of one (Steven) trying to do things properly, while the naughty sidekick (Kevin) tries to fool around. No surprise that they cite Laurel and Hardy as a comic influence.

Such interaction leads to such splendid moments as great classical works being undermined with a counter-melody from a much less elevated work. It’s one of the main ways they tell jokes with the music, while also employing the same techniques a verbal stand-up might – a sudden change of pace, for example – to elicit almost involuntary chuckles.

Their musical range is broad; from Saint-Saens to The Simpsons, thought they take a particular delight in vaudevillian ragtime, pounding at their put-upon piano with vigorous glee. And not all numbers have a comic twist; they will happily show off their skills with relatively straight arrangements of the greats.

Although many numbers are wordless, some are not. Their clearly heartfelt track about the tribulations of working as cocktail bar pianists is an elaborated list of celebrities with whom they\'ve had run-ins, while the double-ententre-ridden Why Do These Male Ballerinas Make You Blush is, unfortunately, one of the few occasions when they tumble into the twee.

Songs about the Pope’s Nazi past or the bitterness of a long-term relationship don’t look too deep for comic inspiration, but with this do you can never knock the execution, even when the lyrics are straighforward.

Largely, this is a knowing yet feelgood show: from the cancan being belted out as energetically as if they were dancing it themselves to a rousing Last Night Of The Proms-style flag-waving finale, the passionate playing proves infectious.

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