For the third time in recent months, Danny Baker has played Blackheath Halls with the third of his shows that profess to be different but have lots of overlaps. And we lap it up because he is a local boy made good, has not a single regret, and we love him for that, writes Michael Holland.
This tour is the At Last The Sausage Sandwich Tour which is supposed to take us through his radio and TV years but veers off through familiar classics such as food poisoning at his school and running away with Wendy, who was to become his wife – a story you could never tire of.
Surprisingly, this show does not include much of Spud, his legendary father, who features much in previous shows and in almost everything Danny says or does in one way or another. But his presence is always there. The Sausage Sandwich show instead highlights his long-standing friendships, the stars he wrote for(although anonymously), and he reveals some backstage secrets that viewers and listeners never get to see.
He takes no blame for great, life-changing job offers seemingly dropping into his lap. But make no mistake, after agreeing to them he then does have to produce the goods with his excellent writing or have the screen presence to be able to front a show. Nobody could have such longevity in show business without having the necessary skills.
This is not some slick, over-rehearsed and timed-to-the-second performance, but just a man getting out on that stage with lots to say to an audience who are there to hear him say it. He often gets diverted by a thought that has him swerving off somewhere else, and he may not get back on track for ten minutes, but return to the proposed route he does. Though this does mean that the last few stories and projected photographs are rushed, squeezed in before the staff switch off the power, and while people needing to get their last train home are sidling out the exits.
This show came to a rapid end at 11.30, but you knew that there were more images to look at and more stories to accompany them, and you knew that you will be back to see Danny Baker again, with all the hilarious repeats and overlaps, because there will always be many tales that you have not heard before.
You will not see a sausage sandwich in the show but you will get to vote for red sauce, brown sauce, or no sauce at all. And I am pleased to report that brown sauce has won by a landslide at every performance except one.
The tour is travelling all over the UK, but because Danny likes to spend as much time at home as possible, he plays many venues within an hour of London, so get your tickets and get out to the suburbs. You will not be disappointed.
Tour dates and booking: https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/danny-baker
