Fay Presto!

And now for something completely different. Hampstead and Kilburn Liberal Democrats and their friends gathered at the Hampstead Theatre in Swiss Cottage last night, for an evening of magic, mystery and mischief with the inimitable cabaret artiste, Fay ‘more than a woman’ Presto. It was probably a good idea that there was a reception before, rather than after, the performance, so everyone went into the auditorium fairly mellow and absolutely in the mood to be amazed and amused. Fay’s inimitable style, mingling genuine technical skill with comedy, camp and bathos, ensured that we duly were. Elton John (predictably) is a huge fan, but so (less predictably) is H. M. The Queen. The act was greatly enhanced by the presence of Fay’s longterm working partner, the virtuoso improvising pianist Paul ‘Harry’ Harris, a dazzling perfomer in his own right, and an effective ’straight man’ to balance Fay’s multifaceted transgressions.

Fay Presto did the event because she is a LibDem supporter, as indeed are several people in the entertainment industry. Watching her act reminded me that when I stood for parliament in Chelsea in 1983, ‘Miss Whiplash’, whose House of Correction was in the street where I then lived, was also a supporter, and half-delighted, half-terrified me by putting one of my election posters up in the red telephone box that she had in her front garden. In that election, the LibDems moved up from third to second place, and I often wondered if Miss Whiplash had whipped some of her clients out to vote.

Links: www.faypresto.com and www.harrythepiano.com