Tuesday 19 December 2017

Comedy Beast at The Hoop and Toy, South Kensington

This evening I headed down to South Kensington for the newly relocated Comedy Beast with MC Peter Merriment. Having found out Anna and I had made the heats for Musical Comedian of the Year earlier in the day, I was focussed on how to deliver two songs with the requisite before and between song patter in the 8 minute limit.

The room was well lit with plenty of other acts in attendance plus a smattering of real audience. I found myself to be topping the evening's entertainment and settled in with a pint of coke and no preconceptions.

The material flowed with the usual mix of the good and the very much in development. It was a warm crowd though and we urged each other on when things got rocky. The bit about masturbating someone's nose will probably stay with me forever - no matter how much I try to expunge it.

Come 10pm I was up and delivering Meal Deal with caffeine-assisted vigour and the clubbing chat that preceded West End revealed three clubs that had never come up before (Jesters, Valentinos and Manhatten I salute you). I'm building quite a picture of the UK's least desirable night spots. I suspect it could be the basis for a Radio 4 endorsed travel log in a similar vein to that book about traversing the UK open mic scene with a ukelele.

Did I do it in 8 minutes? Did I heck. 10 minutes and 3 seconds. Time for some serious editing on the chat. That or write a song that lasts 1:30.

Friday 8 December 2017

Bear Jokes at The Leyton Star

It's been a while since I performed to two real audience but last night's Bear Jokes proved that just because the total number of people in the room is tipping halfway to ten it doesn't mean it'll be a bad night.

It didn't start promisingly. One act cancelling without replacement and a second not showing up wasn't ideal. We hung on for 15 minutes as the room remained stubbornly empty and our opener had to shoot on to another gig. 3 acts and an MC remained and we thought we'd workshop the night away. 

Darren Walsh had some great new material and Susie Steed was concluding her satire when two actual audience members arrived. Susie did a bit more before MC Nig Lovell suggested a quick beer break before our "headline" 20.

Beers duly in we performer like it was a full room and somehow it wasn't a total car crash. Meal Deal, Shuffle and Stop, West End and Airport all got a look in and our two happy punters joined in with carefree abandon. The video may not be ideal for the Musical Comedy Awards as planned but there's always tonight to shoot one with additional bodies in the room.

Post-show we had a drink with our audience and were assured they'd be back.

We'll fill our comedy ark with followers yet, if necessary two by two...