Last night I returned to the open mic I co-founded a couple of years ago and jumped ship from last September due to other commitments. Since then Dylan Dodds has done a good job keeping it going with various initiatives. At some point I will definitely go along to witness "Jazz Comedy" where he accompanies acts on a drum kit. Last night, however, was a standard show and I was on MC duties.
It's been a while since I've been to a show mainly made up of five spots. A mixture of new acts, new arrivals to the city and a handful of old hands made up the bill. 11 comedians. 1 poet. A big stage, a large room and the acts plus 2 well-wishers and an old-boy local propping up the bar. We were ready to begin.
It's never easy performing to a room made up largely of acts but it's a learning experience if nothing else. By the fifth act, "how much time have I got left", had become the running joke of those on stage. For a city so obsessed with squeezing every minute out of the day, winning over a slightly reluctant room for five minutes really does slow down time. Come half time it was time for drinks and a chat.
The second half carried on much the same as the first, enhanced by the local getting increasingly drunk and becoming an active participant in every set. It gave the show an edge, not least because most of what he contributed was totally incomprehensible. Still, he seemed to like my songs and made it all the way to the end.
Post-show it was time for a walk back to the tube with an act discussing the slightly masochistic nature of the average stand-up. Famous First Words remains a curious right of passage for new performers and long may it continue!
No comments:
Post a Comment