Hairy Bikers Big Night Out

Six of us headed off to the Alban Arena on Sunday night for the Hairy Biker's Big Night Out.  All of us enjoyed their programmes on TV, but none of us were quite sure what this would translate into as a live show.

For those of you who've not come across the Hairy Bikers before, Si King and Dave Myers are two mates whose shared love of biking and food brought them together.  They pitched an idea to the BBC several years back that they would tour around on their bikes, cooking stuff.  Part travelogue, part comedy and part cooking show, they became unlikely TV stars.

Their Big Night Out was just the same - part travelogue (annecdotes about their travels), part comedy (with Bob Mortimer producing, how could it not be?) and cooking. Ah yes, cooking.  Two couples plucked from the audience to enjoy a romantic dinner-a-deux... on stage, in front of the rest of us, with their dinner cooked live before our very eyes.

Infectious humour, tempting smells (how often can you say *that* about a night out at the local theatre... and no, the Beer Festival held in the same venue doesn't count) and constant laughter from the audience added up to a great night for us all.

It was nice to see the Arena full; sadly on our last two visits (Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat and the Little Mermaid) there were empty seats around.  For those of you who may have missed it and fancy a night out, there's another opportunity with extra dates added to their tour.  Click here for details of their show on 15 May.