Instant Sunshine

Instant Sunshine is a comedy cabaret quartet. It was formed in 1966cite web |url=http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/interviews/peterchristie.htm |title=Interview: Peter Christie |publisher=Off the telly.co.uk | date=2006-04-01 |format= |work= |accessdate=2008-07-26] by three doctors at St. Thomas' Hospital, Peter Christie, David Barlow and Alan Maryon-Davis. In 1972 they were joined by the journalist Miles Kington. In 1998 Miles Kington left the group and Tom Barlow joined in his place. Peter Christie is the leading spirit and writes the words and music.

Their style has been compared to Flanders and Swann. The lyrics typically have an element of surreal fantasy (one song begins "Our Budgie has Changed to an Orang-Utang"), while the tunes are usually wistful and mock-sentimental. Their act contains an abundance of comic "business" and sound effects, usually provided by Alan Maryon-Davis. They normally perform in cabaret at private bookings, but on occasion they appear in public performances such as the Edinburgh Fringe, where they first performed in 1975. They have also provided theme songs for radio programmes, being particularly known for their contribution to "Stop The Week".

They produced at least six LPs, including "The Instant Sunshine LP" (1980), "Live at Tiddy Dols" (1968) and "Here We Go Again" (1968). There are currently three CDs in print, "Instant Sunshine Comes of Age" (1987), "Jubilee" (1992) and "Live at the Old Vic" (2002).

ong titles

Instant Sunshine Comes of Age

#The Parish Magazine
#A Memorable Meal
#Smooth Train Blues
#Yodelling Neurosis
#My Garden Shed
#My Dog Has Fleas
#Every Body needs a Body
#Wish You Were Here
#Spring Collection
#Has Anyone Seen My Horse
#At the Launderette
#Scat Like That
#Foreign Relations
#Conservation Conversation
#Who Mowed the Lawns of Eden?
#Never be Tempted by Water
#Go Plastic
#Platform Three
#Sorry
#Los Peckham Ryos

Jubilee

#A Bouquet of Roes
#Whitehall Farce
#What is a Thingummy-jig
#Middlesex Man
#Pick up the Phone
#Eating Food is Wrong
#Specs Appeal
#If I Keep on Whistling
#Shiny Leather Chair
#Who Dunnit
#Ideal Home
#Cucumber Sandwiches
#Birds and Bees
#Holiday Survival
#Westminster Pier to Greenwich
#It Happened in the Park
#Equal Animal Rights
#Alas Poor Hamlet
#Mini Mozart
#Listen to the Summer
#Fleeting Time

Live at the Old Vic

#Sunshine
#Birdseed
#Platform Three
#Knitting for Victory
#Herts is Trumps
#Smooth Train Blues
#The Euro
#The Demon in the Drink
#Our Show is Live
#Lots in the Attic
#Lugubrious Lobster
#Who Mowed the Lawns of Eden
#My Horse and I
#Corduroy Trousers
#Kiddies Olympics
#Conservation Conversation

Other

*Heathrow Holiday
*Rambling Man
*Beefcake
*Don't Tell the Abbot
*Lords Pavilion
*Doctors
*We're Awfully Keen on the Arts
*Top Dogs
*Bar Stool Sailing
*Worms
*Ten Gallon Hat
*Judges
*We All Went on a Holiday to Spain
*Mrs Brown
*The Monster in the Goldfish Pond
*Hurdy Gurdy Man
*Harry Lauder
*Metamorphosis
*When I was in Bombay
*I Wish I Was a Sassenach
*There's No News Today
*Casanova
*Some Dancing
*A Little Burgling
*Flibbertygibbet Flo
*My Lavatory Lady
*Danish Bacon
*Squidger
*Fish and Chips
*The Kids on the Corner
*Keep Fit
*Money Matters

Book

Barlow, David (et. al) - "The Instant Sunshine Book with Hints for Struggling Supergroups" (Robson Books, 1980) ISBN 0860511197 - includes music and lyrics for songs from "The Instant Sunshine LP"

References

Links

* [http://www.instantsunshine.co.uk/ Official Instant Sunshine website]