A Couple of Swells will be heading to the Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre on Thursday 13 April, and is headed up by a famous face. 

The Fascinating Aida star, Liza Pulman, alongside internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter and pianist, Joe Stilgoe, will star in a two man show at the Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre this April.

In a musical match made in theatrical heaven, Liza Pulman and Joe Stilgoe are set to bring Stamford audiences a brand-new show, featuring some of their all-time favourite standards and some classic duets, sprinkled with heaps of panache and a whole lot of dazzle. As part of a pre-West End, major UK tour, A Couple of Swells will play at the Stamford Corn Exchange on Thursday 13 April.

Stamford Corn Exchange, Broad Street. Image credit: Nub News.

Expect the Great American Song Book meets 1950s French Riviera Chic, showcasing Joe's virtuoso piano playing and Liza's exquisite vocals. The show combines their unique talent, warmth, charm and wit, promising a beautifully crafted evening of music.

Liza and Joe collaborated during lockdown on the mesmerising track 'Bye Bye Blackbird' from Liza's new album The Heart Of It. Their recording received international acclaim and led to the creation of this show: a magical pairing celebrating some of the best music ever recorded.

These two super talents are back together and ready to put their own contemporary spin on much-loved classics including 'That's Entertainment' and 'A Couple of Swells'.

Liza's thirty-year career has encompassed music, theatre and comedy, from Glyndebourne Opera through West End musical theatre and as one-third of the British satirical comedy group, Fascinating Aida. Her solo career as concert performer and recording artist showcases a talent for rediscovering, reinventing and reimagining timeless classics and lost gems.

Daughter of celebrated screen writer Jack Pulman and actor Barbara Young, Liza's upbringing gave her a deep love of theatre, movies and music. Most recently, Liza Pulman Sings Streisand played West End runs to packed houses and five-star reviews, and a new show, The Heart Of It, started its 2023 tour at The Other Palace in London.

Liza Pulman said: "Stamford holds a very special place in my heart. When I first joined Fascinating Aida, and we were touring around the country in Dillie Keane's old white fiat van, or Van Bianco, as we used to call her, the beautiful theatre for some reason wasn't on our date sheet. But as the newbie to the group (nearly 20 years ago) the girls had other ideas and said "we have somewhere very special to take you." So, we turned off the road that we were on (on our way from somewhere to somewhere) and I was taken to The George at Stamford for a proper, slap-up tea.

"I'll never forget the girls and I, finding a little corner and sitting back into the big, welcoming arm chairs and lapping up the calm atmosphere after weeks of frenzied touring. After tea, I walked out on my own and strolled down to the river and across a bridge and decided Stamford was unquestionably one of the prettiest places I had ever visited." 

A Couple of Swells. Image credit: Kieran Brimson.

Joe Stilgoe is an internationally acclaimed singer, pianist and songwriter, known for writing songs that feel like classics, and adapting classics so they sound like they've just been written. Growing up surrounded by music – his parents are songwriter and TV personality Richard Stilgoe and opera singer Annabel Hunt – Joe's career extends across theatre, TV and radio. 

He's a regular on Radio 4 on shows including Loose Ends and The Horne Section and he has worked with some of the finest orchestras and bands in the world. Joe has released eight albums, five of which topped the UK Jazz chart.

 Liza, described by British Theatre as "Quite simply, superb… Liza Pulman is a force of nature" and Joe Stilgoe, described by The Times as "Dapper, handsome and quick-witted, and gifted with dazzling digits" will be bringing the show to Stamford this April.

Liza added: "Although we played there last year with Fascinating Aida, it is a real treat to be headed back to The Corn Exchange with the brilliant Joe Stilgoe - together, we have the perfect evening for Stamford: elegant, inviting, charming and funny - wonderful music from Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein and even a little Randy Newman.

She concluded: "I can't imagine a more perfect place for our two-hander and I can't wait to be back!"

Catch the show on 13 April at 7.30pm at the Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre.

 Book tickets for £24 online.