Bill Bailey: Vaudevillean

Bill Bailey is playing the Congress Theatre on Tuesday 8 December, with the show starting at 8:00pm. It's a brand-new one called Vaudevillean, and it's built around the theatrical heritage of vaudeville — that old variety tradition of comedy, music, storytelling and extraordinary talent. Bailey's taking that history and running it through his own style, mixing music, comedy, observations and the kind of unexpected moments he's known for, all inspired by the entertainers who came before him.

If you're not entirely sure where he fits, he's a multi-instrumentalist who weaves music right into his stand-up, so it's not just a comedy set with a few songs thrown in — the two work together. He's often billed as a comedy legend and a national treasure, and he's the self-styled king of the Strictly Come Dancing dance floor, which gives you a rough idea of the territory he covers. The Guardian has called him one of the country's biggest-name comics, and the Evening Standard noted that his verbal flights of fancy exude wit, brains and boundless imagination. The Sunday Times described him as more prolific the older he gets, with no dip in quality. In short, he's as British as warm beer and Doctor Who.

Vaudevillean is a new show, so you'll be seeing fresh material rather than a best-of. It's a single-act night with Bailey taking the whole stage, and it's coming to the Congress Theatre on Carlisle Road in Eastbourne. The show starts at 8:00pm on Tuesday 8 December.