Topping and Butch: Cherie Blair

Music video

More Topping & Butch videos

Kempinska's opening night
Live Review
Kempinska's

Jongleurs founder Maria Kempinska has opened more than her fair share of comedy nights in her time, but never, until now, a venue under her own name.

Kempinska’s is more low-key than some of the more raucous venues her company often operates in: a minimalist basement bar in central London with plain walls and a smallish stage in one corner, aimed at wooing the moneyed City types who work nearby rather than the drinking-and-clubbing crowd.

Five Jongleurs circuit regulars, plus compere Geoff Norcott and a couple of musical acts, opened the venue at a preview night last week in front of an invited audience, each performing just eight minutes.

We started with Joe Rowntree, who’s one of those comics who does exactly what’s expected, with slightly blokey, slightly rude observational material, delivered confidently. It’s very safe – reassuring for bookers who want to serve up exactly what a casual audience expect stand-ups to talk about, but leaving him struggling to stand out or inject much personality into his set.

At one point, though, he does launch into something surprising – a surreal off-the-wall rant that seems to come from nowhere, shaking his routine from its complacency, and even topped with a decent punchline, not just weird for it’s own sake. It’s a nice moment, but sadly out-of character.

Built like brick outhouse, Colin Cole grabbed the audience’s attention more conclusively, grabbing lots of laughs from short, punchy gags. Unfortunately, though, they have all either been told before, or so predictable that you could fill in the punchlines yourself. His keen sense of rhythm seems wasted on this pub-gag material – like one of the old-school comedians from the Seventies.

His obsession with midgets gives him some easy gags, but he also strays into much less edifying territory, when he simply invites the audience to laugh at the silly way the little people walk. Ha! Ha! Look at the idiots with their disabilities!

Over the past couple of years arch cabaret duo Topping and Butch have undergone a makeover, switching garb from S&M to M&S – or, more likely, an even sharper gentleman’s outfitter. Though they’ve lost an obvious gimmick, the smarter look better befits the elegant camp of their song parodies.

There’s nothing new in what they are doing, but their cheek and charm is irresistibly winning, with Butch playing up the innocent and Topping the devilish influence leading him astray. Here they wisely chose to lots of short bursts of songs, getting in and out with the gags without outstaying their welcome with a full verse.

The one longer number they did tackle, a dirty version of I Dreamed A Dream, did show up it’s formulaic roots a little more – though the ‘prompting’ device was a nice touch, the filth enjoyable and Butch’s singing voice impressive. Susan Boyle, pah!

After the showmanship (and an interval), the more relaxed delivery of Ava Vidal draws the audience in, and they hush to listen to her withering put-downs – aimed at her own children. The punchlines are strong and although she knows it’s wrong to say such evil things about her own flesh and blood, she’s not apologetic, but invites the audience to share her guilty pleasure at getting the frustrations off her chest. Finally Kev Orkian, who proved the clear audience favourite of the night – thanks in no small measure to his comedy Armenian accent. Laughs come from his tale about being a poor and naive immigrant, exploited but too simple to realise it. The style is a little old-fashioned – especially in his portrayal of effeminate gay men – but its a nice story, and Orkian’s wide-eyed persona engenders empathy.

But his greatest skill is music. He’s a brilliant boogie-woogie piano player, and gets the crowd going with some call-and-response, and a virtuoso demonstration of his quick fingers. It’s not funny – but it’s very entertaining.

I saw them at the Leicester Highlight on Sat 30 April 2011 and they were nothing short of brilliant! Topically sharp yet wonderfully ridiculous; Hilariously camp yet brilliantly self deprecating these two have an act that'll keep you laughing so hard you'll struggle to keep up. Thankfully they've taken to leaving the bondage gear at home - I have to admit I was a bit worried when I googled them knowing we were seeing them at my stag do and I wasn't sure 13 boozed up lads would all take to it, but the times have changed and so has their attire it would seem. Awesome stuff

Rik, May 2011

Enjoyable, funny and quite loveable.

Vicky Long, May 2009

My son and I first caught them at the Fringe in 2004 and lorded it over my daughter all winter with little snatches of song. Funniest thing he and I saw that year. Whole family saw them in 2004 and 2005 (both shows) being sure to go to the loo before hand. After all, accidents will happen. Completely disappointed they were not at the Fringe in 2007. See them if you can but go to the loo first.

Fred Houston, June 2008

Me and my other half have seen Topping & Butch on several occasions and we love them - seeing the words 'Topping & Butch' on your ticket or on the poster at the venue is your guarantee of a fantastic night. I'd downloaded mp3's but was still quite unsure because I felt uncomfortable about something that, whilst very well written, just seemed a bit 'twee', then we chanced upon them live. That was such a reassuring revelation! They're such a contradiction in so many ways - music hall style songs but BDSM gear, innocent and cuddly but rude and sometimes shocking even to this jaded fool. Basically what you see and the impression that gives you doesn't guarantee anything, and that's the beauty. Any prejudice, whether it's you liking the music and being shocked by the costumes, or being into the camp and rude side but feeling a little uneasy about the style of song, you end up seeing and hearing such a mix of things that you quickly realise what you loved in the first place isn't diluted and that what you didn't like is not actually an issue. Their audience handling is second to none, leaving the audience feeling safe yet still involved without being picked on (which is often the way in gay cabaret), and if you are fortunate to see them live you will see how their treatment of the audience adds so much to their act and separates them from lesser performers. If you get a chance to see these guys, you really ought to.

ian_leic, March 2007