[jambutty]

I can help you out there WillowTheWhisp

You wrote:

I don't remember Cafe Continental either. Maybe it sounded too posh to me!

I wish I'd been around in the days of the Hippodrome here in Accy. It sounds like it was a fantastic place. I'd have loved to have seen such a great variety of entertainment. I do remember seeing acts like that at the Alhambra in Morecambe - including the 'Egyptian' sand dancers along with Max Wall and his funny walk, and Nat Jackley.

I remember my Mum and Dad telling me one time about this great act they'd seen, a funny pianist. I couldn't understand what they could have been raving on about until I saw him for myself - Victor Borge. I lef that theatre with tears of laughter streaming down my face.

And I wanted to reply thus:
I have never seen Victor Borge live but a few times on TV and like you he had me in stitches. I also have a few of his LP’s where he introduces “Phonetic Inflation” where he adds one to any words that contain a number. Like wonderful becomes twoderful, create becomes crenine and so forth … er sofifth. He then reads a short story to leave you with aching sides.

His “Phonetic Punctuation” is an exercise in giving punctuation marks sounds and once again he reads a short story to demonstrate the result. Hilarious!

His “Mozart Opera” takes the Micky out of opera in a light-hearted way.

However on a little known LP “The Adventures of Piccolo, Saxie & Company” Victor introduces us to the full Symphony Orchestra by way of introducing the instruments and the families that they belong to. Absolutely fascinating!

On another LP he plays straight yet you can still hear the odd giggle from the audience.

He was a one off and we are lucky that he left behind recordings to enjoy over and over.