ONE broken world and ten funny songs to fix it.

That’s the simple concept behind musical satirist Mitch Benn’s new show as heads out on the road with the aim of spreading insight and laughs in equal measure.

“It’s a slightly extended version of last year’s Edinburgh show,” said Mitch, who plays Bury Met on Thursday, January 24.

“We are living in interesting times and I’m having a look at how we can make the world a better place. It’s a very hopeful and very positive show.”

Liverpudlian Mitch began his comedy career in 1994, before moving to London in 1996 and quickly establishing himself as a comedy club headliner as well as a favourite on the university circuit.

Since then his talent for comedy rock songs has seen him become a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s satirical programme The Now Show as well as releasing eight albums.

He even hit the lower end of the pop charts in 2005 with his hilarious single Everything Sounds Like Coldplay Now (“Everyone tries to sing like Chris / Plays the piano just like this”).

“There’s a hell of a lot bad stuff going but it’s also bringing out the best in people,” he said. “I refuse to be hammered into the floor by it all. Optimism itself can be a revolutionary act and the show is very much about hope rather than anger and despair.”

With a column in pro-remain newspaper, The New European and songs like ‘A Song For Brexit Meltdown Day’, Mitch has made his views pretty clear when it comes to politics. So has it given his satirical songs a shot in the arm?

“I’d far rather my children were growing up in a peaceful and happy world than the news shovelled jokes at me all day,” he laughed.

“I’d be perfectly happy to have to think a bit harder in order to come up with jokes if we were in that world but it does give me a lot to talk about. The trick is to turn it into a joke rather than a rant. You always have to find the humour in a situation.”

Touring the country and visiting certain areas where his views aren’t always appreciated has sometimes proved tricky too.

“Your audience is slightly self selecting,” he said. “My position on most of the big issues of the day is public record but having said that I have had a few people storm angrily out of the show. It was in Southend in Essex though.

“Apparently it has become the thing for touring comedians to check which way each town voted in the referendum and moderate their material accordingly, but I can’t do that.

“I don’t like the idea of the country having no-go zones for people of a certain political persuasion - this is all my country and although I think a very concious effort is being made to divide us, I don’t want to be any part of that.”

With the likes of Bill Bailey, Tim Minchin and Flight of the Concords taking musical comedy to the masses over the last decade, Mitch agrees the genre in a healthy state and pays tribute to one of its forefathers, Monty Python collaborator and Bonzo Dog Do Dah Band member, Neil Innes, who passed away at the end of 2019.

“That really took the wind out of my sails,” said Mitch. “I worked with Neil a few times and he was an absolute boyhood hero of mine.

“I was 15 or 16 when I first saw The Ruttles and it absolutely blew my mind. He was an absolute delight and a lovely guy.

“Musical comedy seems to bumble along with a medium level of naffness and I often wonder if it would be a good thing if it became really fashionable. Anything which is ‘in’ will always be ‘out’ at some stage but I always bang the drum for it and thankfully it’s just got just enough awareness to make it worthwhile for me.”

n Mitch Benn: Ten Songs To Save The World, Bury Met ,Thursday, January 23. Details from 0161 761 2216 or www. themet.org.uk