Over The Hill
Matt Byrne Media
Maxim's Wine Bar
Thurs 8 March
until Thurs 29 March

During the peak of his popularity on television in the 'seventies one couldn't help but being drawn towards British comedian Benny Hill's appeal; since he was naughty enough to appease most people's dirty mindedness, but with the use of clever innuendo and suggestive slapstick comedy, he just barely skirted the boundaries of censorship rules of the time.

Then there was the absence of political correctness, something most viewers back then would never have considered to become a future issue. Just as they hardly ever thought to look past the man who simply made them laugh week after week. Thankfully, renown local writer/producer Matt Byrne has done just that and with remarkable accuracy with his research and, on an entertainment level, character recreation he sets out to tell the story of an enigmatic personality that has been truly noted as one of comedy history's greats.

In this production Byrne becomes Hill, and with the intermittent aid of the suitably buxom Samantha Phillis as one of his 'Hills Angels', he recounts his earliest childhood memories, the war years and right through to his big break in television; not forgetting the many menial jobs in-between. One of which, when he was a milkman went on to inspire Hill's biggest hit, Ernie, The Fastest Milkman In The West. And, along with Ting-A-Ling-A-Loo, Unlucky Luke and many other songs and characters such as Fred Scuttle, Byrne near perfectly mimics Hill's performances with the highlight being his rare retelling of, The Pinal Foem Of Faul Pinch. An absolute classic, and almost reason enough alone to go see this.

Steve Jones