John Gibson: Neapolitan thing for Phil again

Reprise time for Valvona & Crolla’s vagabond vocalist (and co-owner to boot) Philip Contini. The ubiquitous Contini.

Time for a change from slipping into the skin of Dean Martin and Louis Prima and back into Neapolitan songs laced with anecdotal stories about his dad’s life in Naples. “We last did them in 2003. I’ll preface each song with a yarn,” says Philip, showbiz still coursing through his pasta-clogged veins (tickets £7 to £12) and I’ll do three Sunday nights on August 12, 19 and 26 drizzled with Cole Porter (tickets £29).

“Plus, for something completely different, The Whisky Anorak in Jenners boardroom. That’s Valvona’s co-owner Mary Contini’s brother John Diciacca, an authority on whisky, talking about and tasting four malts.

“John will do 15 performances of this hour-long show, Villains, Heroes and Adventurers, during the Fringe. A sort of lip-smacking affair,” (tickets £15).

Notes from Nic

British children should be more exposed to culture, if we are to string along with her and believe Nicola Benedetti. She’s accusing the younger generation of being too obsessed with the world of celebrity.

The fragrant Nicola herself seems obsessed with the culture of Page 3 if we are to judge by her latest Press pics . . . the hair, the pout, the expressive fingers.

Pity. She could be a really good role model for today’s youth. The lass can be a really fine fiddler. Twenty-four and a former BBC Young Musician of the Year, never forget.