Topping and Butch
Biography
Michael Topping worked with the late Patrick Fyffe and George Logan (better known as Hinge & Bracket) during the 1960's and early 1970's and appeared in review shows alongside Eartha Kitt and Lily Savage. He has an established history of being a Musical Director as well as a spiritualist healer.
Andrew Simmons played Adam in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at The Yvonne Arnauld Theatre, Guildford and sang at The Royal Festival Hall. In 2001 he performed with Topping at The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. He has worked briefly for BBC2 and Channel 4 as a television researcher but became diverted by the act!
They first worked together in 1997 and created the act Topping & Butch early the following year. The show has been a great success on the gay cabaret circuit which they still play today and has since been developed with added political satire and bite to appeal to a wider audience seeing them appear in stand-up venues, theatres, business conferences and regularly on BBC Radio 4’s “Loose Ends”.
TV appearances include BBC3’s fast paced stand-up show “28 Acts in 28 Minutes” and Five’s “Greatest TV Bitchiest Moments” and two performances on “The World Stands Up” for The Paramount Channel.
They now pride themselves on being up-to-the-minute with their script and for Edinburgh's "Pull Out Now!" show in 2004 that meant locating accommodation close to the theatre. During August if a news story broke or developed on the Ten O'Clock News, audiences heard their lyrics on the subject when the show went up at The Pleasance Courtyard at 10.45pm.
They then demonstrated the same skills in their show ‘Desperate Fishwives’ at the Soho Theatre, where they received the following review…. Under the joyous smut and innuendo lies a genuine love for music and a Paxman-like ability to cut straight to the chase. Top that off with an uncanny rapport with the audience and an even better one with the hecklers and you have an act that can do no wrong... The Stage
This was followed with yet another fantastic new show ‘Topping & Butch - A Lot To Take In’ at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar at last years Edinburgh Festival, as well as their un-plugged show ‘Filth’ (a late night show not suitable for children or critics!) at the Smirnoff Underbelly for four nights only.
The following months of 2005 saw them performing at… The Dublin International Festival, The Pavilion Theatre as part of The Brighton Comedy Festival and The Kings Head Theatre, Islington for a week in December with ‘Topping & Butch – Bird Flu With All The Trimings’.
2006 has seen them performing shows at the Cracker Comedy Festival in Sydney, the Melbourne Comedy Festival, The Brighton Festival Fringe, the Prague Festival and the Edinburgh Festival with their hit show ‘Filth’ at the Underbelly, as well as ‘Topping and Butch and Friends’ for two nights only at the Udderbelly.
So, how else have they been described… The press can't quite seem to put a finger on the influences, look or style of the act and below are some quotes from just the last year:-
"...twinned like Morcambe & Wise"
"Frankie Howerd, Kenneth Williams... Les Dawson" The Scotsman
"Think Kit and the Widow but camper" What's On In London
"A cross between Flanders and Swan and The Pet Shop Boys"
"Frankie Goes to Hollywood meets Fascinating Aida"
"The Two Ronnies" all from The London Evening Standard, Critic's Choice
“Like an extremely camp Pete & Dud” Fest
“It feels like The Western Brothers are back among us” Ned Sherrin, BBC Radio 4
Andrew Simmons played Adam in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at The Yvonne Arnauld Theatre, Guildford and sang at The Royal Festival Hall. In 2001 he performed with Topping at The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. He has worked briefly for BBC2 and Channel 4 as a television researcher but became diverted by the act!
They first worked together in 1997 and created the act Topping & Butch early the following year. The show has been a great success on the gay cabaret circuit which they still play today and has since been developed with added political satire and bite to appeal to a wider audience seeing them appear in stand-up venues, theatres, business conferences and regularly on BBC Radio 4’s “Loose Ends”.
TV appearances include BBC3’s fast paced stand-up show “28 Acts in 28 Minutes” and Five’s “Greatest TV Bitchiest Moments” and two performances on “The World Stands Up” for The Paramount Channel.
They now pride themselves on being up-to-the-minute with their script and for Edinburgh's "Pull Out Now!" show in 2004 that meant locating accommodation close to the theatre. During August if a news story broke or developed on the Ten O'Clock News, audiences heard their lyrics on the subject when the show went up at The Pleasance Courtyard at 10.45pm.
They then demonstrated the same skills in their show ‘Desperate Fishwives’ at the Soho Theatre, where they received the following review…. Under the joyous smut and innuendo lies a genuine love for music and a Paxman-like ability to cut straight to the chase. Top that off with an uncanny rapport with the audience and an even better one with the hecklers and you have an act that can do no wrong... The Stage
This was followed with yet another fantastic new show ‘Topping & Butch - A Lot To Take In’ at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar at last years Edinburgh Festival, as well as their un-plugged show ‘Filth’ (a late night show not suitable for children or critics!) at the Smirnoff Underbelly for four nights only.
The following months of 2005 saw them performing at… The Dublin International Festival, The Pavilion Theatre as part of The Brighton Comedy Festival and The Kings Head Theatre, Islington for a week in December with ‘Topping & Butch – Bird Flu With All The Trimings’.
2006 has seen them performing shows at the Cracker Comedy Festival in Sydney, the Melbourne Comedy Festival, The Brighton Festival Fringe, the Prague Festival and the Edinburgh Festival with their hit show ‘Filth’ at the Underbelly, as well as ‘Topping and Butch and Friends’ for two nights only at the Udderbelly.
So, how else have they been described… The press can't quite seem to put a finger on the influences, look or style of the act and below are some quotes from just the last year:-
"...twinned like Morcambe & Wise"
"Frankie Howerd, Kenneth Williams... Les Dawson" The Scotsman
"Think Kit and the Widow but camper" What's On In London
"A cross between Flanders and Swan and The Pet Shop Boys"
"Frankie Goes to Hollywood meets Fascinating Aida"
"The Two Ronnies" all from The London Evening Standard, Critic's Choice
“Like an extremely camp Pete & Dud” Fest
“It feels like The Western Brothers are back among us” Ned Sherrin, BBC Radio 4