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Little light, shining
Posted Wednesday, November 12, 2008
So, I did two gigs last night in preparation for Live at the Apollo; the first one was at a place called Ginglik ,which is a converted Gentlemen's convenience in Shepherd's bush..don't say I never take you any where. Actually when Jon Canter (Co writer) Ken Bowley (MD) and I rocked up , we found it to be a very pleasant venue , no trace of the toiletry from whence it came. Well done everyone. Adam Hills (Ace Aussie comic) and Mickey Flanagan (compere) were very welcoming and helpful with advice re: getting back on one's horse after a long lay off. Karl and Claire were there from PBJ management and also were very helpful. It's odd though , I think coming from baggypants/Light entertainment style comedy has spoilt me somewhat -cos even in a working men's club you had your own dressing room where you could sit and weep before the show , safe in the knowledge that Roger De Courcey couldn't hear you from his bolt hole next door. These young whippersnapper comics just hang out by the bar and then walk on stage and perform. No zen style meditation, no listening to Kate Bush for 2o minutes and then quickly listening to Dizzee Rascal's Dance Wiv Me just before they go on , no steaming and sucking of special lozenges - NO- they arrive , look at the set list and then they're up! Brilliant. I don't know how they can be so confident!
The first set went pretty well for the first one back...it's very much like stretching before you work out , you have to be careful not to peak too soon ,or you'll hurt yourself. So I took it easy -also it was a tiny performance space ,and being a big room comic on a little stage means you have to rein yourself in a little bit. A lot of the jokes went well -but some did that horrible 'MAY DAY , MAY DAY ,ABORT MISSION , ABORT MISSION!' that new jokes tend to do first or second time out.
But it wasn't a shameful appearance by any means.
Carlton Dixon (Producer of my Richard Pryor documentary ) showed up to watch my show (or so I thought) ,but then it turned out that he'd found out that Robin Williams was going to be performing live at Ginglik ,but at the very end of the evening...bastard. Carlton gave me notes on the phone re: my show (More Obama , More Usain Bolt) and the preceded to text me as to how good Robin was....great.
Second show was at 99 club on Leicester square ; this is a much bigger performance space -or should I say wider. When I arrived I was a bit freaked because wide rooms usually spell death for comics ,but funnily enough -this room seemed to be manageable. The compere , a cheeky
young c-word using scamp called Lee Nelson was on and being very funny , un PC but very user friendly-even though his material wasn't just 'near the knuckle' but almost 'up to the wrist' he had a lot of good jokes and the audience liked him. There was a mad story teller on called Mike Wozniak (Sp?) who I'd like to see more of - he told this very involved story about woodland animals , some nuts and his grand dad...the diversity of comic talent out there at the moment is great - you've got Daniel Kitson doing these incredibly well worked out , intricate story cycles , Lee Nelson being a bit of a 'Geez' , Mike Wozniak telling animal tales, Gina Yashere keeping it cheeky and real , Kojo giving it that soul boy thang ..Josie Long doing that 'Anti-slick, Lo fi vibe'
...it's a good vibe out there...
So I was on last at 99 club - and didn't know what to expect , but it was fab! Really good - like a proper show ; the audience were up for it and very happy and they took off! It was great to be up there and a privilege to work for them.
I had a good time ,and a lot of jokes that didn't work in the first
show , absolutely worked in the second one...although, that show ,
which we have on tape , will be a good one to work from because if these guys didn't laugh at something , it just wasn't even remotely funny....they were laughing at almost everything...
So, a very good night for team Apollo Len Stand up. Am meeting up with Jon today to do cuts -we love cutting comedy....
I don't know if you've got kids ,but please check out Big and Small on CeeBeebies -that's me doing the voices!
I was with the lovely Imelda Staunton yesterday -she plays the mouse and the worm in Big and Small (Also highly rated actrine - Vera Drake
etc..) She told me that I MUST LEARN OTHELLO , then when I get up there , it's already in the bag -the hard work has been done. Now I can move it around and play. (This is everyone now , saying this -Alan Rickman , Miranda Richardson , Conrad Nelson -everyone's saying 'Learn the bastard' except for Rutter...what to do?)
I think I'm going to just keep looking at the play , keep plugging away with the text coach Bardy Thomas and just keep on keepin' on.
Just want to say Congratulations to Mac Cooper and his wife Sue , who got married recently after 11 years of living in sin! Big up people...much love.
Anyhoo - more voice over work today , then Streatham tonight for more Stand up Shenanigans...
Peace
Len
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