A Celebration of Flanders and Swann

The purpose of Satire, it has been rightly said, is to strip off the veneer of comforting illusion and cosy half-truth - and our job, as I see it, is to put it back again. (Michael Flanders).

In the 1950's one of the biggest hit shows consisted of two men in dinner suits, a piano and an audience singing along with the chorus of a song about an hippopotamus.

Flanders and Swann were an unusual act. Michael Flanders was bearded and confined to a wheelchair, whereas Donald Swann, at the piano, had a boyish intellectual look and was referred to by his partner as 'an all round egghead'.

The combination of Michael Flanders (the words) and Donald Swann (the music) resulted in many memorable comic songs and a few serious ones. Their greatest hits were The Hippopotamus ('Mud, Mud, glorious mud!') and The Gnu ('The G-nicest work of g-nature in the zoo!').

On Monday 9 March at 2.30pm, here at Grove Theatre, Gordon Peters and David Carterwill be appearing in their highly acclaimed show, A Celebration of Flanders and Swann, which does exactly what it says in the title; celebrates the music of Michael Flanders and Donald Swann.

Gordon brings a refreshingly new slant to these ever green songs, relying on acting as well as his voice. Gordon has appeared in countless television shows. Besides having his own series on BBC One, The Gordon Peters Show, he has been in several episodes of Dads Army, To the Manor Born, One Foot in the Grave, My Family and even Little Britain! He has also starred in summer seasons, pantomimes, plays, cabarets and toured the world! David Carter has been the other half of A Celebration of Flanders and Swann for the last 3 years. Prior to this he was MD for Danny La Rue.

This matinee is sure to be an afternoon of nostalgia that you will remember! Book now, either on line or call 01582 602080 to speak with the Grove Theatre Box Office.