Without A Paddle

So back to earth with a bump this weekend as I left the opulence of the great theatres behind and returned to the circuit.

My gigs were at Up The Creek, and I was doing a set, so a nice easy time you'd think. Wrong.

The transport systems were all up the spout cos London Underground are finally getting around to fixing all the ancient tube lines, so that was hassle one. The round trip to Greenwich took three hours both nights!

On Friday night the MC was my old mate David Haddingham, who I haven't seen since we terrorised some students a couple of years back. He's sporting a very 70's Bodie and Doyle look with curly hair and leather bomber jacket. I almost didn't recognise him!

He'd be the first to admit that his heart wasn't really in the compering, but it wasn't Dave's fault. The audience were the oddest I've seen in a long time. Very young, very pilled up and appearing to have no idea what happened in a comedy club.

They had to throw four of em out while the first act Craig Campbell was on. I must say he handled it incredibly well.

I always knew it was gonna feel odd going back to playing to 200 people after crowds of 1000 plus, so I was kinda prepared, but not prepared enough. Sure fire lines that were rocking the house last weekend were met with puzzled stares. It was like they didn't "get" that these were jokes... very odd.

The best that can be said of Friday is that I did my time and about 50 people really enjoyed it. I took some consolation that it wasn't just me, nobody had a great gig, we all kinda got away with it to be honest.

Saturday was a whole different kettle of fish. The MC was Ninia Benjamin, who I've never worked with and only met once, briefly, years and years ago. I'd seen her on 3 Non Blondes, and thought she was the funniest one, but never seen her do stand up.

She was fabulous, she stormed onto the stage and took the room by the balls, quickly setting up the right attitude and atmosphere for a night of great comedy. Her personality is fantastic, I was roaring with laughter at her.

I so rarely work with women, and when I work with a good one it makes me raise my game. In between laughing my ass off at her I was thinking 'Fuck she's good, I'd better pick it up a step or two'.

David Haddingham was on first and he had a corker, then after the break it was me and I had a proper Up The Creek gig finally. It was amazing I only did about half my set as the ad libs were flowing thick and fast...wonderful.

Terry Alderton was closing and I caught a bit of his storming set before I headed off for the long trek home... Three storming sets and a wicked MC that's how a night at a comedy club should go, made the schlepp worth it.