A PERFORMANCE paying tribute to musical comedy maestros of the 1950s and 60s comes to the county on June 17.

Flanders and Swann At the Drop of a Hippopotamus comes to the Regent in Christchurch and stars multi-award winning comedian Tim FitzHigham and BBC Radio 4 musical maestro Duncan Walsh Atkins.

Directed by Jeremy Meadow, Tim, Duncan and the Hippo are back with their much-loved performance of the words and music of Flanders and Swann, the musical comedy maestros of the 1950s and 60s.

The boys capture all the favourite songs and traditions of original duo, whilst bringing their own unique style, personality and humour to the performance - lifelong fans and the uninitiated alike will delight in seeing the boys breathe new life into the celebrated songsmiths’ wonderful songs including: The Hippopotamus Song, The Gas Man Cometh, The Gnu Song, Omnibus (or A Transport of Delights), A Song of Patriotic Prejudice and Madeira M'Dear.

Tim FitzHigham and Duncan Walsh Atkins created their Flanders and Swann performance in 2001 for a charity concert.

By 2004 the show had played five summer music festivals, completed its first extensive tour of the UK and released their album At the Drop of a Hippopotamus. Since then the show has gone from strength to strength, continuing to tour the UK and Europe and has also visited Australia.

They headlined the International Flanders and Swann Festival, playing on Donald Swann's piano and drinking from Michael Flanders' famous Madeira decanter, this Rolls-Royce of Flanders and Swann shows continue the largest ever Flanders and Swann tour since … well, since Flanders and Swann toured.

Contact the Regent for tickets