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Bounder & Cad are a London-based musical comedy duo known for sharp, lyrical satire set to classic crooner, jazz, and operatic styles. Formed at the University of Cambridge, the pair blend close harmony singing with original parody songs that skewer politics, power, culture, and modern absurdities—always punching up. Regular performers at venues including Crazy Coqs, they draw inspiration from Noël Coward, Flanders & Swann, Dudley Moore, and Kit & The Widow, combining musical virtuosity with wit, warmth, and theatrical flair.

In this episode of Variety, host Adam Sternberg welcomes musical comedy duo Bounder & Cad for a wide-ranging conversation following a bold opening performance skewering Vladimir Putin. The pair trace their origins from university choirboys and jazz crooners to becoming a fully-fledged satirical act, sharing stories of May Balls, their first original parody song about Prince Harry, and a last-minute, near-missed debut gig at 10 Downing Street.

They unpack their approach to satire—why they prefer timeless absurdity over partisan politics, how they balance provocation with kindness, and why comedy works best when it releases tension rather than fuels anger. The episode also dives into creative partnership, disagreement, privilege, performance mishaps, and the importance of humor as a coping mechanism. It wraps with a playful operatic finale: a comic English-language take on La donna è mobile, featuring Adam joining them on stage.

Don’t miss out on how we plan to bring this podcast to life with Variety Live shows.

🎵 Original title music written by Peter O'Donnell and produced by Chris Burgess.

Join Adam Sternberg next time for another captivating glimpse into the world of live entertainment.

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Andrew Robley is a British musical-theatre performer and singer from Carlisle who began his career as a cathedral chorister, later winning a BBC “Search for a Star” competition and going on to play leading-man roles in shows like Grease (Danny Zuko) and classic musicals including Carousel and Oklahoma!. He’s now a regular performer at London’s Brick Lane Music Hall, where he’s become best known for his work as a pantomime dame—an unexpectedly demanding, fast-paced role he grew into after years as a principal boy/leading man.

For more on Andrew Robley visit:

👉https://www.instagram.com/andrew.robley

In this Christmas special of Variety, host Adam Sternberg chats with Andrew about his unusual route into panto: from choirboy beginnings and a brief detour as a chef, to musical theatre leading roles, and finally being thrust into dame duties at the last minute when another performer was injured. Andrew breaks down what makes pantomime unique—ad-libbing, timing, audience interaction, and relentless quick-changes—plus the character work, voice choices, slapstick, and how panto traditions are evolving (and enduring). The episode also features a playful spoken “duet” of Sonny Boy and wraps with details of Andrew’s upcoming run at Brick Lane Music Hall in Jack and His Giant Stalk (over-16s), followed by a family version later.

Don’t miss out on how we plan to bring this podcast to life with Variety Live shows.

🎵 Original title music written by Peter O'Donnell and produced by Chris Burgess.

Join Adam Sternberg next time for another captivating glimpse into the world of live entertainment.

To stay updated on future episodes, follow us on:

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If you have any comments about the podcast or are a performer who wants advice please do email info@thevarietyshowpodcast.co.uk

Artist Bio

Aaron Clark (“Keith Ripoff”) and Alex Larke (“Mock Jagger”) are the long-time twin engines of premier Rolling Stones tribute act The Rolling Clones. Growing up in neighboring Hertfordshire towns, both were shaped by early musical influences: Aaron gigging from age 11 with a Stones riff book smuggled into lessons, Alex trading a teenage go-kart racing career (he once raced Jenson Button) for frontman life after being dubbed a “modern-day Mick Jagger” in the local press. United by a deep love of the Stones’ catalogue, obsessive attention to detail, and a shared refusal to live the actual Stones’ lifestyle (these days it’s post-gig tea, not Jack Daniel’s), they’ve spent well over a decade touring the world, from French town squares to theatres and Middle Eastern stages, bringing Mick-and-Keith swagger to audiences of every age.

For more on The Rolling Clones visit:

👉https://www.instagram.com/rollingclones

Episode Summary

In this episode, they talk about how they fell in love with the Rolling Stones, why they think the Stones out-rock the Beatles, and what it really takes to “become” Mick and Keith on stage night after night. They share stories of massive gigs, weird audiences, fire alarms killing the PA mid-show, and one particularly drunk early gig where “Mick” fell off the stage and was rescued by the man who played Bungle from Rainbow. We hear how the Rolling Clones evolved from cabaret act to a high-energy modern live-Stones experience, why Aaron convinced Alex to stop drinking on stage, and why tribute work turned out to be a “golden ticket” to make a living in music without fame.

Don’t miss out on how we plan to bring this podcast to life with Variety Live shows.

🎵 Original title music written by Peter O'Donnell and produced by Chris Burgess.

Join Adam Sternberg next time for another captivating glimpse into the world of live entertainment.