An Evening of Flanders & Swann - At the Drop of a Hippopotamus

Michael Flanders and Donald Swann were the biggest musical comedy stars of the 1950s and 1960s. Mud, Mud Glorious Mud (The Hippopotamus Song), The Gnu Song, The Gasman Cometh, and many of their other songs have passed into legend.

This global smash hit of a show pays affectionate tribute to their words and music, mirth and infectious silliness. It stars multi-award winning comedian Tim FitzHigham (BBC Radio 4, TV, and films including Paddington 2) and Olivier Award Winning musical maestro Duncan Walsh Atkins (Showstopper).

The Gnu Song is Tim’s earliest childhood memory apart from swallowing paint.

With 16 live UK tours, seasons all over the world, performances for Royalty, 11 seasons at the Edinburgh Festival, BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night, tens of thousands of hits on YouTube, and the largest selling Flanders and Swann album (other than the originals…naturally) what started as the boys’ attempt to keep the Hippopotamus wallowing has become a global phenomenon.

Critic’s Choice in The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Evening Standard, and Three Weeks.

“Wallowing in a Muddy Marvellous Revival. Wheelchair using vocalist Flanders and bright eyed pianist Swann have both now gone to the great loose ends broadcast in the sky but whippersnappers Tim FitzHigham and Duncan Walsh Atkins are flying the flag with this winning celebration. The songs remain masterfully comic compositions…if you think Eminem is the last word in lyrical dexterity listen to FitzHigham – a younger, sexier Richard Stilgoe – wrap his tonsils around Flanders’ tongue-tangling Have some Madeira M’dear. This unashamedly retro revue will not change your voting habits however for admirers of cabaret with impeccable manners these Swann songs certainly fit the bill”

Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard

“An energetic and charming portrayal…an infectious joy that leaves you admiring their heroes as much as they obviously do.”

British Theatre Guide

“Chaps don’t have to play rugger any more and Nigel Molesworth’s “gurls” are running the show, but there’s still plenty of vim in the songs of Flanders and Swann. Tim FitzHigham sports an impressive beard, while the bespectacled Walsh Atkins submits to suave teasing over his preference for living in the lower depths (known to most of us as Battersea)”

Clive Davis, The Times

“At the Drop of a Hippopotamus captures Flanders and Swann’s astute wit and delight in ingenuous wordplay – a great British tradition

The Guardian

“Tim FitzHigham accompanied with panache at the keyboard by Duncan Walsh Atkins”

The Scotsman

“Energy and relish…caught the period remarkably well…Well worth seeing”

Laurence Hughes, The Independent

With generous support from the estates of Michael Flanders and Donald Swann, At the Drop of a Hippopotamus continues to go from strength to strength. As Michael was the first to suggest, their songs were – and are – not sung nearly enough. At the Drop of a Hippopotamus is an attempt to redress this, and an attempt by Duncan’s wife to re-dress him, in a smart suit.

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