Vive la State Visit

Now we don't know about you, but foreign dignitaries' state visits don't usually put us in a musical mood. Long-ago visits by African, American even Irish heads of state never set us humming much. But a little visit from France's Nicolas Sarkozy is a bit different, no? The excitement's not least due to some rousing trumpetting of the Marseillaise we heard at Windsor Castle, but probably has more to do with the tuneful first lady, Mme Bruni.

We're pretty sure this two day visit won't leave time for Carla to perform for us plebs; though who knows, the Queen might get a rendition of 'Promises like Pie Crust'. To stop the yawning gap and plug your French kitsch yearning, we're here to recommend an alternative fix. Alternative being the operative word.

Make your booking now to catch Camille O'Sullivan at the Bloomsbury Theatre tomorrow night for a French-tinged musical extravaganza. A former Spiegeltent performer, the Irish chanteuse is a wonderfully theatrical Jacques Brel, Tom Waits singing slice of crazy good. And we think she beats Bruni hands down.