Mitch Benn is the 37th Beatle

Inspired by recent obituaries of Tony Sheridan, which credited the Liverpool singer with the much-used soubriquet “the fifth Beatle”, Mitch Benn set out to weigh up the case for everyone the label has ever been applied to, including, at a stretch, himself. If that sounds a bit nerdish, well, it is, but the Scouse musical comic has produced his best show in years, a biography of The Beatles' supporting cast elevated by some fantastic pastiches of their records.

His own tenuous connection to The Fab Four begins but doesn't end with the fact that he went to the same school as John and George. Most of the figures that follow are more obvious and integral to The Beatles' success, such as their producer George Martin and manager Brian Epstein. But provocative cases are also made for the likes of Neil Innes and Elvis Costello, while the most insightful draws a parallel between the Cleese and Palin relationship in Monty Python with the Lennon and McCartney dynamic.

Benn's affection for his heroes is abundantly clear. But apart from the opening number, he never strays into hagiography, maintaining a decent gag rate while remaining informative and interesting. He puts the boot in a little concerning The Beatles' posthumous releases, but his ghostly John in conflict with Paul's harmonies is a memorable highlight. Ultimately, this is a richly entertaining hour that reminds you why The Beatles were great, compelling for those with passing knowledge of the hits but surely a must for dedicated fans.