Tim Minchin, British Summer Time, Hyde Park - comedy review

If one required definitive proof that comedians are frustrated rock stars one only needed to see Tim Minchin headline this comedy gig in Hyde Park. Pounding away at his piano or striking poses at the microphone he was every inch the musical icon. And he made his fans laugh. What more could you want?

Minchin’s set closed an evening compered by veteran Jasper Carrott, who seemed out of touch with his jokes about cooking programmes and grandparenthood.

Gina Yashere was sharper, noting the rise of 21st Century ailments: “Nobody in 12 Years a Slave had Restless Leg Syndrome.”

American duo Pajama Men split the crowd with their physical cavorting, ventriloquist Nina Conti skilfully updated classic routines and Milton Jones fired inspired one-liners: “Anyone want to buy a broken barometer? No pressure.”

But this was really Minchin’s night and from the opening chords of Rock And Roll Nerd he was on sparkling form, despite fluffing a key change during the jauntily atheistic Woody Allen Jesus. His lyrics were smart, his tunes infectious and although he claimed to have “retired” from stand-up his self-mocking patter was playfully funny.

The show ended with his epic Dark Side which, with its changes of mood and melody, makes Bohemian Rhapsody seem like Three Blind Mice. But there was the mandatory encore, with a new ballad from an as yet unannounced musical that highlighted Minchin’s romantic side with the line: “I’m here and I’m fine and I’m seeing you for the first time.”

And then finally When I Grow Up from the award-winning Matilda The Musical, positively Beatlesque. Comedy does not get more rock starry than Minchin. Though actually he is so gifted he does not seem frustrated at all.