HE may have been an unexpected sight at this year’s Malvern Piano Festival but if two standing ovations are anything to go by, Tim Minchin will be welcomed back with open arms.

The award-winning Australian musician, composer, songwriter, actor and comedian was warmly received from the moment he stepped shoeless onto the Forum’s stage until his leap from the piano top as his encore drew to a clattering close.

From the outset he cracked jokes about those expecting a civilised evening of classical tunes and at one point mocking the thought of a studious session of ivory tickling before launching into an acoustic guitar led number.

Freely rolling from stand-up segments to appearing like a wild haired, skinny jean wearing version of the wild man of rock ‘n’ roll, Jerry Lee Lewis, he was always ably supported by a nattily dressed three-piece backing band who offered their own fine line in comic timing and knowing looks.

Often manic and hyperactive, but always laugh-out-loud hilarious, his whirling dervish of an hour-and-a-half set blitzed through a long list of topics, flitting from the environment to prejudice and the female form to having ginger hair.