It’s Day Five of the constant Christmas content from Velvet and Blackout and the atmosphere is that of an all-night holiday once they step inside Russ Abbott’s Christmas Madhouse courtesy of London Weekend Television in 1984. The titular star is joined by an Avengers assemblage of contemporary vaudevillians to assist in the delivery of quick-fire, slapstick hilarity but is this enough to keep you ‘living it up’, or will it have you reaching for the Basildon Bond to complain?

Can the pre-Mavis Riley, comedy impersonation days be looked-upon as golden and precious yet long since forgotten? Does neon and pastel really pass as period set-dressing? Should we forgive all of the above on account of the wearing of silver slacks? Listen on, and decide for yourself…

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