If you tuned in to the Royal Variety Performance on ITV last week, you’ll have enjoyed a scene from the new Mischief Theatre project: A Comedy About Spies. You bet your ass I bought tickets to that show immediately that I heard about it. It’s been a while since there’s been something new like this from the group, and it should be the original Mischief members up on stage which is a double bonus.

I love that they returned to the Royal Variety, as their appearance on there many years ago is what switched me on to them in the first place, and it’s fair to say it’s been an obsession ever since.

Not content with setting up some fun for next year, the Mischief crew have returned for a very short festive run of Mischief Movie Nights - and this time, with no global pandemic shutting doors, the option was there to watch in person or live stream. Obviously, I’ve opted for the latter, a Mischief Movie Night In, and yesterday watched my first one.

They are doing two a day for the next three days, so you need to grab your streaming pass soon if you’re interested, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. Yesterday’s film was a take on the story of A Christmas Carol but, naturally, set in a zoo featuring penguins, too much gold in a bath, and some very impressive impromptu ventriloquism. You had to be there.

I love these shows - part of me wishes you could buy them to rewatch and have forever, or at least catch up the ones you missed. But equally, I get the improv nature means it’s a one time thing that each time is unique. You can’t bottle that kind of festive fun. I’m already looking forward to the next stream, hopefully it is just as festive, if not so full of penguins. Raise a glass to Mischief, keeping us laughing no matter what!