There is no Pappy's show in Edinburgh this summer – sob – but that doesn't mean they will be keeping a low profile, oh no. Their eagerly anticipated BBC3 sitcom Badults starts later this month and BTJ will be running a review shortly. But if you still need your live fix of Tom, Ben and Matthew they are doing a one-off podcast recording of Pappy's Flatshare Slamdown at the Soho Theatre tonight. The last time I saw them do it, at the Phoenix, it was a daytime show and I had some rather greasy deep-fried snacks during the interval so the second half of the show went by in something of a high cholesterol blur. But I do recall describing the show as "Basil Brush meets The Young Ones" before I saw it, and from what I can just about recall I have no reason to change that description of its madcap knockabout antics combined with a very loose quiz show. Guests tonight are lovable Welshman Elis James and dapper American Paul F Tompkins, whose own show on at Soho at the moment is also highly recommended.
The highlight of this week's British Summer Time fFestival in Hyde Park for BTJ readers is surely Kevin Eldon and Friends on Tuesday. The star of his own recent BBC2 sketch show is joined by Bridget Christie, Paul Foot, Robin Ince and Justin Edwards – the latter hopefully in the guise of gloriously bibulous children's entertainer Jeremy Lion. My only concern is that according to the billing the show lasts two hours. That' s a lot of fun to squeeze into 120 minutes – I don't know if my mind can take Eldon and co in such concentrated form.
If you can't get tickets for Kevin Eldon's gig then there is a great benefit gig on the same night at the Bloomsbury Theatre. Photographer Ashley Maile used to take pictures of acts on the circuit but sadly died of bowel cancer earlier this year aged 36. Money raised from this benefit will go towards arranging an exhibition of his work. Among those taking part are compere Tiffany Stevenson, plus Stewart Francis, Lee Mack, Glenn Wool, Roisin Conaty, Lucy Beaumont, Robin Ince, James Acaster, Lucy Porter, Jigsaw and Rich Hall.
