'Work in (Hope of) Progress' #1


Tonight’s work-in-progress show felt like a world of difference to last night’s gig; people laughed and everything.

Dare I say it, I enjoyed it. It’s the first time I’ve performed a sizeable chunk of what will eventually become my Brighton & Camden Fringe show ‘…and Ephgrave’ in one piece. Tonight’s response made me feel that I’m at least on the right track.

Being in an intimate venue with a comedy savvy audience makes the world of difference. It helped me scale down my delivery, to make it more conversational. I didn’t have to fight for attention. I still need to find where the laughs are in the material, so I can sit back on it, but the fact that there were laughs has given me a confidence boost.

It helps that I’m sharing the work-in-progress dates with the lovely Peter Broughton-Rates (I’m a poet…etc). He has an exceptional knack for positivity. As we left, I apologized for the fact I’d only had two people turn up to watch, when he’d supplied the other eighteen.

‘That’s still ten percent of the audience’ he said. His optimism perfectly offsets my in-built pessimism. He’s also very easy to watch. He has excellent comic judgment. I like how he can be both brazen and ‘out there’, while also being subtle and naturalistic. He’s a good chap, that chap.

I’m looking forward to our next date, now I know the feel of the space. I’m sure both of us will be more relaxed for ‘Meet Here’ / ‘Work in (Hope of) Progress’ #2. Date to follow shortly...

Setting up at The Actors' Temple. In the 1970s, apparently.

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