Tag Archives: Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq.

‘An Evening With The Two Toms’ (Bedfringe, 22 July 2022)

Posted in 5*, Bedfringe 2022 by

“It’s a tribute to the eclectic and far-reaching magnetism of the two Tom cats that so many people, from so many different walks of life, have beat a path to this gig.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Nae Bad)

One is the dapper chap whose viral hit stuck a banjolele chord with anyone who’s ever been mildly cheesed off by life, the universe, and/or everything. The other is an ivory tickler whose weekly Cockney Singalongs became a welcome refuge for a global audience in the darkest days of Lockdown. Together they are the Two Toms, Thomas Benjamin Wilde Esq. and Tom Carradine. Full disclosure, I’m a massive fan of both.

For only the second time in recorded history – this history is recorded on vinyl BTW – The Two Toms are appearing on the same stage in an act of collaborative sharing that would have the nation’s nursery school teachers dishing out ‘star of the day stickers’ like they were going out of fashion. It’s a game of three halves. One half is pure Carradine’s Cockney Singalong – replete with music hall favourites auld and new (‘ave a banana); One half is uncut Thomas Benjamin Wilde Esq. banging out his new cult classics and best-loved covers on a range of string instruments including one of the best set of vocal chords in the solar system; The final half is The Two Toms together, as perfectly balanced as a penny-farthing peddling away down the road of life.

I’m sitting between a much-respected American theatre-maker, in town on his way up to Edinburgh, and the bloke who does security at the Twinwood Vintage Festival – he’s the dude who’ll bounce you out for wearing 50s era buttons on the 40s three-piece, or having a nylon ribbon on your straw boater. It’s a tribute to the eclectic and far-reaching magnetism of the two Tom cats that so many people, from so many different walks of life, have beat a path to this gig. There is magic abroad in the air.

The show is still finding its feet. Gremlins make mischief with the slide projector (not that this crowd needs to be reminded of the lyrics), and there’s a hefty overrun which would have been ruinous at Edinburgh, where eye-watering fines per minute discourage acts from disrupting the festival-goers’ tight schedules. But the artistry is not a work in progress. It’s the product of those hundreds of hours which musicians must sow in private in order to reap the public rewards. The harvest is a fine one, with promises of truly magnificent vintages to come.

Reviewer: Dan Lentell

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Bedfringe 2021 Interview: An Evening With The 2 Toms

Posted in Bedfringe 2022 by

“As well as being just round the corner from my house, Bedfringe has always been a great festival to be involved in. James and the team are an absolute joy to work with.”

WHO: Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq: Performer

WHAT: “Join viral star Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq. and London cabaret virtuoso Tom Carradine for an evening of sing-along-fun and musical humour! You can expect plenty of laughter, raucous audience participation and, if you’re lucky, they may even play a song or 2 together!”

WHERE: Quarry Theatre

WHEN: 22 July 2022 @ 19:00 (60mins)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Bedfringe?

This is my 3rd Bedfringe (Thomas B. Wild Esq) but it will be Tom Carradine’s first. I have not done a full show in the main theatre before (on other years I’ve performed in the garden or bar) so this will be my 1st time doing that. As well as being just round the corner from my house, Bedfringe has always been a great festival to be involved in. James and the team are an absolute joy to work with and make the whole experience very easy. There is always a diverse range of acts and the venue(s) are offer great facilities for producers, performers and punters alike.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2021 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Since my last visit to Bedfringe, I finally managed to finish my 2020 tour (I had lots of re-scheduled shows) and I managed to record a new album of original songs which came out just before Christmas. 2022 has been mostly focused on arranging shows and making connections with other artists. To be honest it’s been a bit of a whirlwind now that we’re able to play in front of actual audiences again and I haven’t really had time to think! I have got a lot better at recording music in my home studio (spare room) though! Tom Carradine has been continuing his online shows but has also been able get back to in person gigs (and has even found the time to record piano and accordion for some of my album tracks!) We’ve even been discussing the prospect of some international shows, if this all goes well!

Tell us about your show.

This will only be the 2nd time we’ve performed this show together! The best way of describing it is raucous, sing-along fun. Tom C’s part of the show consists of songs that everybody will know (and the lyrics will be on hand just in case) and my part half is perfect for after those interval drinks! The suggestion for us to combine forces came from GetYourCoatsOn’s very own Dan Lentell, so we hope he’s happy with himself (and he’d better write us a good review!)

What should your audience see at Bedfringe after they’ve seen your show?

I’m looking forward to so many acts this year! Of course, Dave Alnwick is always excellent as are Marcel Lucont and Luke Kempner, and I discovered the hilarious Shelf comedy online last year so I look forward to seeing them live. There is also the fabulous Coor Brow Obles on the garden stage again, as well as all the acts being put on for the Blender takeover. So much great stuff to see on my doorstep! I will have to try and convince Tom Carradine stick around for a bit!

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‘Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq – Live From Bedfringe’ (Bedfringe, 30 July)

Posted in 5*, Bedfringe 2021, Cabaret by

“A perfect performance by an artist who is at the beginning of the beginning of a brilliant journey.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

The worst thing you can do in a review is talk about the rest of the audience. What matters, I always say to new members of the writing team, is your reaction. How did the show impact you? Avoid phrases like, “the audience seemed disengaged” or “the audience seemed to like it” they’re just not useful. Last night was the exception that proves this rule. We, the audience, were very excited about this performance.

Thomas Benjamin Wilde esquire in the county of Bedfordshire has been one of those artists who’ve helped make the past 18 months almost tolerable. His YouTube covers encompass every kind of gem from Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell to Jack Buchannon’s Everything Stops for Tea. His original compositions are smart, funny, occasionally smutty, and catchier than COVID at a Trump White House event. Last night had the celebratory feeling of a comeback tour, yet it was only the first gig of a relatively recent newcomer’s much-delayed first ever tour.

The audience know that TBW is good. So good that had Bertie Wooster played banjolele even at two to the power of two hundred and seventy-six thousand, seven hundred and nine to one against as well as Thomas Benjamin Wilde esquire in the county of Bedfordshire then Jeeves might not have left him and Wodehouse would have lost a plot. Everyone in the room is a fan.

Last night was streamed live over YouTube (see above) and this is where I got that thrill that only comes from seeing someone you already greatly admire succeeding at something really chuffing hard. TBW was equally present for both the live audience and the folks at home. It was a beautifully balanced act, pulled off with the gracious humility of a true professional who has worked at their craft morning, noon, and night until it’s sharper than a cavalry saber slicing open a bottle of 2002 vintage bubbles.

It’s a funny thing that Burgess never much liked A Clockwork Orange. Graves wasn’t overly fond of I, Claudius. Graham fell in and out of love with The Wind in the Willows and we all know what Conan Doyle tried to do to Sherlock Holmes. So it follows that Thomas Benjamin Wilde esquire in the county of Bedfordshire has a complicated relationship with “That Song”, the one that made him a sensation.

BedFringe’s James Pharaoh claims credit for inspiring the little ears (no swearing) version and it’s a great twist on a much loved (by us at any rate) newly minted classic. This is the first show I’ve seen with Daughter 1.0 since EdFringe ‘19. She’s 6 now and a big TBW fan (although admittedly she prefers Tom Carradine). This was a brilliant family-friendly show to reawaken her excitement about live performance.

The unexpected move from the garden to the bar – the afternoon’s rain had tried very hard to stop play – amplified both the music and the energy of the crowd. It’s a long thin space with exposed rafters which were played to front and back. There was some Rodney Bewes style ad hocs when things went awry, but this forced improv only made things all the jollier. The flashing TV screen in the background wasn’t quite covered by the set, but other than that this was a perfect performance by an artist who is at the beginning of the beginning of a brilliant journey.

Reviewer: Dan Lentell

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Bedfringe 2021 Interview: Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq. Live At Bedfringe

Posted in Bedfringe 2021, Written Interviews by

“The Quarry Theatre and garden are an absolute pleasure to perform in and watch shows at (and they are only a 10 minute walk from my house) so I’m looking forward to seeing some great shows this year.”

WHO: Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq: Performer

WHAT: “Bedford’s own viral star returns to Bedfringe. With over 140,000 subscribers and over 8 million views of his notorious, sweary classic ‘I’ve No More …. To Give’ on YouTube alone, Thomas will be bringing his banjolele for a mix of (radio friendly versions of) his original satirical songs and sing-a-long classics.”

WHERE: Quarry Theatre Garden

WHEN: 30 July 2021 @ 18:00 (50mins)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Bedfringe?

I first performed at Bedfringe 2019, but, as a Bedford resident, I’ve been a punter for years. It’s a great event showcasing some fantastic local, national and international acts. I must admit, as a performer, I’m fairly new to the whole festival circuit, however, as a punter, a great location is key. The Quarry Theatre and garden are an absolute pleasure to perform in and watch shows at (and they are only a 10 minute walk from my house) so I’m looking forward to seeing some great shows this year.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2019 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

Well, 2019 seems like a lifetime ago and I’ve only had a handful of gigs in front of ‘real’ audiences since then! Like many other artists, over 2020/21 I have been doing a lot of online shows and have become very good at performing to a camera, keeping my gaze to a fixed point and not leaving any awkward silence between songs (as a performer you get used to leaving space for applause, however, social media doesn’t have a function for that yet!) I’ve definitely got better at dealing with my own tech, however, I’m very much looking forward to someone else handling that side of things again!

Tell us about your show.

This will be my first show in front of an audience since December 2019, so expect me to be rather excitable! I’ll be performing a family friendly, Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq. set (don’t worry, I’ll be doing a version of ‘that’ song) which will include some singalong classics as well as songs from my 2nd album which I have not yet had the opportunity to play to people face to face yet! I may even be playing some brand new songs for the first time as well.

What should your audience see at Bedfringe after they’ve seen your show?

I definitely think people should try and catch the excellent Dave Alnwick’s Nightmare Magic show. I performed with Dave at the 2019 opening show and he was fabulous! Also, my good friend Sparky TKO is always great, and I’ll also be trying to catch some of the Blender Takeover shows, including the wonderful Danni Nicholls and Richie Prynne.

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