I’m a bit hungover today and need to whip myself up into shape to go and talk on Radio 4 in an hour about how poor the festival makes me every year. I’ve never talked on Radio 4 before, not even a little bit but I expect they want people who have coherent and clever arguments. Sadly I just have some booze in my brain and the ability to cough a bit, so fingers crossed that fills the brief. I’m not meant to be funny as its a serious matter following Natalie Haynes’s superb article in The Times the other day. I’m very interested in stating a point about how much it costs to put a show on up here, but at the same time, right now I would prefer to stay in bed and let my brain have a nap. Its all my fault of course. Its not like I needed to stay out for ages and drink booze last night. I could just as easily have gone home and had a cup of tea, but sadly my willpower broke and I decided I needed a beer. One was needed. The second was a freebie bonus and you can’t say no to freebies. The third was bought by someone else so it would have been rude not to, as was the fourth. The fifth was highly unnecessary and I don’t remember how I ended up with the sixth. But here’s what I think about that 6th pint: bleeeeurrrgggghhhhhhhh. I hope that helps convey my feelings on the matter.
Yesterday was a pretty good day. Another sell out show which was exciting. Someone had to sit on the floor which was bad for them and all health and safety but I was pleased. Not because I like to see people burn but more because it meant people actually wanted to come and see my show. I think. It may have just been the zombie posters. Either way they were an ace crowd and much fun and that now means I’ve sold out two days in a row. I’m scared people will start calling me a sell out. I’m also fairly sure it won’t last this week. At least definitely not Tuesday and Wednesday. Which is a relief in a way as I might have two slightly more chilled shows on those days. Not that the others are stressful. Its getting more fun everyday with Paul’s introductions still changing. There are also several weird noises that come from the show next door, like gunshots, dogs barking and screaming. We have decided everyday to use that to pretend that zombies are attacking and I’m off today to buy Paul a small plastic toy shotgun to use when it happens. Hopefully the show will continue to run in such a manner. Still no reviews out yet, I’m hoping they won’t ruin the fun when they arrive.
Not many other thoughts. Last night I saw Rhys’s show and was horribly disappointed which made me sad. Rhys is a truly funny man. His sets always used to really make me laugh when we gigged together and I remember doing an audition with him once where I failed miserably because he made me laugh throughout. Yet last night’s show proved he has changed a bit since stardom, but only in the way that he clearly couldn’t be bothered to write any material. There were a couple of gems (especially a gag about Transformers), but that was all. I’m sure he’s very busy, but for 10 sell out nights he really should have put something better together. I just get sad when very talented people don’t bother using their talent. Fingers crossed he comes back with a proper stand-up tour at some point.
After that I headed to the Loft Bar to be a social whore and ended up having some fun banter with many a comedy person. Best bits were various tales from Mick Ferry whose show is hampered every night by the sounds of the Chippendales next door. As he kept saying ‘Its an arts festival, but the Chippendales are on’. Very wrong.
Right must dash to jibber jabber on the wireless. 4 shows to do after that today so promise I shall write at length tomorrow. Well actually I’ll write at my flat but you know what I mean.
