Victorian Values

Last night I was at the Victorian Values event at the British Library run by the Ministry of Burlesque with Victorian Values and others which I think Gryphons-Hole would have not only liked but fit right in if he wasn’t state-side; I alas didn’t go in my top hat but if I had I would’ve felt underdressed as there was top hats and full Victorian garb galore including a devastatingly beautiful man with a long red muttonchops, top hat and victorian (breasted?) suit. Wow. Woof. Hello! Please 😉

Entertainment was pretty good if a little odd in places – brilliant was Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer who I not only spoke to (err more like gabbled at fan-wise, so embarassing for him probably but had to say hello!) who did his excellent ‘Chap Hop’ medley, ‘Timothy’ which is a new anthem of mine, and a new Summer of Love medley which bodes well for the new LP, with Orbital, I Like to Move It & Shamen in the banjolele mix! Yes! Also cool was the Piccadilly Prowler sketch by Toff and Tales, something I think from the music halls that was banned back in the day…and Opium related Britannia sketch/strip that would not look awry at Duckie and ‘Kittie De Winter Fairbotham’s attempt to woo a young strapping man reading Gaiety Times on Hampstead Heath was enjoyably and humorously a failure. ‘Joe Black’ sung Fagin’s song from Oliver! which was pretty good and gave me flashbacks – I was in Oliver when I was 9 at school, and the stationary Ride of the Valkyries tableau which had John in stitches, even if it was too high-brow for the rest of the crowd who didn’t get it!

Less great was the MC Desmond O’Connor whose jokes an singing didn’t really gel apart from the strongman act which was merely OK as a backing to the action, and terrible was the female singer Jessie Pie ‘the most buxom bawd in London’ whose cutesy ‘English 1920’s living room Agatha Christie’ type schtick just grated. She went on for ages and ages…others seemed to dig her, but her songs were too twee (think ‘English Garden’ but without say Viv Stanshall’s or Tiny Tim’s character/insanity and the good tune) and was going off her pretty looks (err well aforementioned buxom which wasn’t rather but she kept referring to it) rather than any major singing or humour talent. Ugh. Not impressed.

Generally a success though, and LOVED Mr B. His next album will be great, and he should be a LOT bigger. Even John loved him, surprisingly since he’s so referential on hiphop culture 😀

Might go to more MOB/Victorian Values events if it’s an excuse to dress up Victorian-wise. I hear the kids are down with Victorian clothes atm and fashion houses keep raiding that era for clothes recently – which is most interesting 😀