John Biddle and Ollie Birch would be the worlds coolest music teachers if they werent already committed to be being Britains coolest Story and Song Artistes. Indeed as they are at pains to tell us, Edinburgh is only a warm up for this world wide act; next stop The International Festival of Music and Song in Warsaw. Eurovision has nothing on these guys as the duo bravely take us through a hilarious sequence of presentations inspired by EU countries. But when, nestled in between their supporting projections, pictures of Johns wedding appear, the true heart of this piece is revealed in radiant Amy, Johns wife and Ollies ex-girlfriend. Though Jollies staging may be sparse, their bombastic performances, sharply astute lyrics and richly textured harmonies are enough to fill the room with serious aplomb and a charmingly full throated joviality. Working in an incredibly difficult space (it is hard not to feel that this piece would have much more buzz around it if it were at the Pleasance Courtyard) the two wind the audience around their little fingers in a mixture of gentlemanly elegance and down to earth boyish charm. It may be rough around the edges but in the middle of their orchestrated chaos, the strength of a real life friendship comes through with full force as they banter backwards and forwards with a barbed affection. With songs that range from witty parody to straightforward lampooning (my personal favourite was a number for Poland to celebrate how the Nazis razed Warsaw to the ground, apparently before they did so, it was under it), John and Ollie are consummate musicians whose melodic musings will tickle your earlobes and sashay into your heart. They are also pretty dapper actors and laced within their maestro mayhem there are some genuinely touching moments. As Ollies embittered feelings about Amy slowly begin to leak out, concluding in a show stopping performance of Ollies play Dr Odysseus Mortimer & Count Dracula of Rotherhithe, we are treated to an interchange which is desperately affecting and effortlessly performed by these two inextricably linked performers. It is this pushing of raw human bruises which lifts this show from an endearing romp to a clever and poignant comedy delicacy. I wont spoil the brilliantly over-the-top and possibly violent ending but suffice it to say that it is as unique and funny as the rest of this intelligent fangdango of a show. It may start off slowly and lose its focus at times, but stay with it and John and Ollie will reel you into their sweet song and story world, leaving you feeling joggled, juggled and definitely jiggled, and giggling much more than a show about European countries and ex-girlfriends has any logical right to.
