Four Gigs Older
A lot has happened since my last ramble. First of all, I'm four gigs older as a comedian, and maybe it's worth my while brain dumping all of that into this here keyboard. Trouble is, I am very very tired, so this might make little or no sense. It took me three attempts to type the word tired. Anyway ...
Gig one was a local one, as the stand up act in the middle of some improvised comedy. It took place at a venue in Bristol I wasn't previously familiar with. Nice room, no lighting, a not so special PA system. Therefore it was harder work than it needed to be, especially with the lack of compere before me. I did fifteen, the start of which was simply working the crowd, waking them up to the idea of stand up, blabbing out some unimaginative quips during banter, then I got through a good rendition of my set, including a journey through my storm story which harvested some new laughs. Another of my new bits was branded genius by a fellow performer.
Gig two was a last minute booking for Mr Owen Niblock, and involved a drive to the Midlands. It was at Bedworth Arts Centre, for shall we say, a more mature audience than I am normally used to. This made me apprehensive, especially as I was on first, but the fifteen I did at the top was more fun than I expected, and much easier than I anticipated.
Gig three was another jaunt into the Midlands, this time to Melton Mowbray. The journey up was fun as I shared a lift with three other acts, all of whom did a superb job. I've done this place before, and this time I was compere. Having not done that particular role for quite a while, I was afeared of being rusty, and my mood wasn't helped by the meagre spattering of audience. They were lovely though, and from my opening line onwards, it was a joy. The first section involved some chatter between them and I, with a misguided segue into material, though that didn't hamper things one bit. Section two contained a bilious rant about mainstream comedians that was one of the most fun things I have ever performed, and the closing section was a rendition of Storm which contained the biggest, loudest, longest laugh I may have ever experienced.
And then the fourth gig, again in the Midlands, this time in Wolverhampton. I did the opening twenty, once again to a small crowd affected by weather and football. The room was odd, but the people were keen. They were too easy really, they even forgave me for the heinous forgetfulness of an entire bit, which I hideously failed to cover. I actually asked Gaz Mackin for a prompt, my mind was that blank. So thanks to him. But it led into the best performance of storm so far I think. I do really enjoy telling that story and I'm pleased I'm getting the responses to it that I have so far.
So, with four hours sleep after the drive back from Wolves, I was up at six and off to London for a development meeting for a sitcom. I never know what I should and shouldn't divulge about preliminary preparations for projects, but the meeting was incredibly promising. Things will be slow though.
Must sleep now.
Gig one was a local one, as the stand up act in the middle of some improvised comedy. It took place at a venue in Bristol I wasn't previously familiar with. Nice room, no lighting, a not so special PA system. Therefore it was harder work than it needed to be, especially with the lack of compere before me. I did fifteen, the start of which was simply working the crowd, waking them up to the idea of stand up, blabbing out some unimaginative quips during banter, then I got through a good rendition of my set, including a journey through my storm story which harvested some new laughs. Another of my new bits was branded genius by a fellow performer.
Gig two was a last minute booking for Mr Owen Niblock, and involved a drive to the Midlands. It was at Bedworth Arts Centre, for shall we say, a more mature audience than I am normally used to. This made me apprehensive, especially as I was on first, but the fifteen I did at the top was more fun than I expected, and much easier than I anticipated.
Gig three was another jaunt into the Midlands, this time to Melton Mowbray. The journey up was fun as I shared a lift with three other acts, all of whom did a superb job. I've done this place before, and this time I was compere. Having not done that particular role for quite a while, I was afeared of being rusty, and my mood wasn't helped by the meagre spattering of audience. They were lovely though, and from my opening line onwards, it was a joy. The first section involved some chatter between them and I, with a misguided segue into material, though that didn't hamper things one bit. Section two contained a bilious rant about mainstream comedians that was one of the most fun things I have ever performed, and the closing section was a rendition of Storm which contained the biggest, loudest, longest laugh I may have ever experienced.
And then the fourth gig, again in the Midlands, this time in Wolverhampton. I did the opening twenty, once again to a small crowd affected by weather and football. The room was odd, but the people were keen. They were too easy really, they even forgave me for the heinous forgetfulness of an entire bit, which I hideously failed to cover. I actually asked Gaz Mackin for a prompt, my mind was that blank. So thanks to him. But it led into the best performance of storm so far I think. I do really enjoy telling that story and I'm pleased I'm getting the responses to it that I have so far.
So, with four hours sleep after the drive back from Wolves, I was up at six and off to London for a development meeting for a sitcom. I never know what I should and shouldn't divulge about preliminary preparations for projects, but the meeting was incredibly promising. Things will be slow though.
Must sleep now.
