The reason why....
I love doing stand-up is for gigs like the last two.
Friday night I trundled off to Chiswick, only to get a call from Simon the promoter, as I was getting off the bus to tell me I was supposed to be at their sister club in Ealing! He he'd been meaning to call me about the change of plans all day, but hadn't gotten around to it. I've known Simon for many years, and basically if you open the dictionary to look up the phrase 'laid back' there's just a photo of him!
He drove me over to Ealing Film Studios, where the other gig is, leaving me just enough time to apply my lippy before we started. I wasn't too happy at the change of venue, but as it turned out it was the best move ever! The audience at Ealing tend to be a bit older and more worldly, so I felt no pressure at all. I just started talking to them, and it was brilliant!
We had a couple who were on their first night out for two years since having their baby...they looked so grateful to be out! We had a table of estate agents who were more than happy to be the butt of many jokes, all kinds of great people.
All the acts who were on at Chiswick were also on here, so I still got to see Rich Hall, who was phenomenal! He's a total inspiration when it comes to stand-up, watching him work is just a gift.
Also on was my old mate Steve Best, back from his year in the US and just on terrific form. There couldn't be a bigger contrast in the styles of these two, but both make you wet yourself laughing. It was less like work for me, and more like a night out.
Last night I was in Chiswick, what a contrast in the demographic of the audience! Obviously the Cup Final makes a difference to the type of people who go to comedy, you tend to get lots of people from abroad and lots of women. Last night we also had a smattering of disgruntled West Ham fans (who knew they came this far west?) who thought a night of comedy would take away the bitter taste of losing in such a way.
Why do people do that? Comedy is a wonderful thing, but it aint a miracle cure! I've had people turn up at gigs who've suffered some kind of major life upheaval and sit there frozen faced throughout the entire show, cos the gags didn't cure him!
Having said that, one of my best ever experiences was years and years ago at The Glee Club in Birmingham. After the show myself and the other acts hung around having a beer with some of the audience. We were sitting with a group of girls, laughing and joking, and one girl took me aside to tell me that her friend, the one who was laughing really loud, had lost her fiance in a dreadful accident three months before and this was the first time anyone had seen her do anything but cry since then. The girl thanked us for giving her friend a break from her life...that was an incredible feeling.
Anyway, last night the crowd started of cool, but warmed up considerably as the night wore on. Rich tore the ass outta the room, dealing with some bizarre, pissed heckles in the way only he can. As I closed the show I told them there were a strange but wonderful crowd, and they were, just like life.
Friday night I trundled off to Chiswick, only to get a call from Simon the promoter, as I was getting off the bus to tell me I was supposed to be at their sister club in Ealing! He he'd been meaning to call me about the change of plans all day, but hadn't gotten around to it. I've known Simon for many years, and basically if you open the dictionary to look up the phrase 'laid back' there's just a photo of him!
He drove me over to Ealing Film Studios, where the other gig is, leaving me just enough time to apply my lippy before we started. I wasn't too happy at the change of venue, but as it turned out it was the best move ever! The audience at Ealing tend to be a bit older and more worldly, so I felt no pressure at all. I just started talking to them, and it was brilliant!
We had a couple who were on their first night out for two years since having their baby...they looked so grateful to be out! We had a table of estate agents who were more than happy to be the butt of many jokes, all kinds of great people.
All the acts who were on at Chiswick were also on here, so I still got to see Rich Hall, who was phenomenal! He's a total inspiration when it comes to stand-up, watching him work is just a gift.
Also on was my old mate Steve Best, back from his year in the US and just on terrific form. There couldn't be a bigger contrast in the styles of these two, but both make you wet yourself laughing. It was less like work for me, and more like a night out.
Last night I was in Chiswick, what a contrast in the demographic of the audience! Obviously the Cup Final makes a difference to the type of people who go to comedy, you tend to get lots of people from abroad and lots of women. Last night we also had a smattering of disgruntled West Ham fans (who knew they came this far west?) who thought a night of comedy would take away the bitter taste of losing in such a way.
Why do people do that? Comedy is a wonderful thing, but it aint a miracle cure! I've had people turn up at gigs who've suffered some kind of major life upheaval and sit there frozen faced throughout the entire show, cos the gags didn't cure him!
Having said that, one of my best ever experiences was years and years ago at The Glee Club in Birmingham. After the show myself and the other acts hung around having a beer with some of the audience. We were sitting with a group of girls, laughing and joking, and one girl took me aside to tell me that her friend, the one who was laughing really loud, had lost her fiance in a dreadful accident three months before and this was the first time anyone had seen her do anything but cry since then. The girl thanked us for giving her friend a break from her life...that was an incredible feeling.
Anyway, last night the crowd started of cool, but warmed up considerably as the night wore on. Rich tore the ass outta the room, dealing with some bizarre, pissed heckles in the way only he can. As I closed the show I told them there were a strange but wonderful crowd, and they were, just like life.
posted by JoJo Smith at Sunday, May 14, 2006
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