Neil Hannon
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford
It's been a while since I've seen Neil Hannon, but every time I've seen him (often with completely different combinations of backing musicians as The Divine Comedy evolves) I come away thoroughly pleased with the evening's entertainment. I've been a fan since the 1990s and although he had some success with 'National Express' he is little known by the pop loving masses. This is a real shame because he is a top class composer, lyricist and all round musician.
I was a little concerned about seeing him solo, because much of his music relies on heavy orchestration. However, I actually really enjoyed the stripped down versions, most of which he played on the piano (which was handy as our seats were slap bang opposite). He was his usual witty self, dealing with the expected heckles with aplomb and making the odd mistake which cued a characteristic humorous expletive.
The surroundings of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and his Hamlet/Richard III/Banker costumes added to the atmosphere of a fantastic evening listening to a fantastic musician.
Related articles- Neil Hannon, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (independent.co.uk)
