Today, I reached
a turning point regarding how to approach my forthcoming solo stand-up show;
something that now seems so obvious, I feel stupid for not looking at it this
way previously.
For some reason, I've got into the mindset that the material I write for myself has to be very different style to what I do with Glyn. This made sense when I first started gigging alone, as I didn’t want to feel I was retracing Doggett & Ephgrave’s footsteps without forging an identity of my own. It was also a question of logistics, as I thought it might be difficult to get solo spots at clubs still using a projector – not to mention having to carry the equipment to venues by myself.
Now I’m a year into doing gigs on my own, I’ve proved I can do comedy without the aid of a slideshow. I’m not sure why this was important to me, but it was. I guess it was partly because I liked the idea of challenging myself, as well as the thought of not having to lug the gear around to shows, which I’ve always done in the past; instead just using a mic.
I did still use the projector for my first show ‘…and Ephgrave’, but more as a crutch than anything. I was so used to having something audio-visual to turn to as a comfort blanket that I didn’t want to drop it entirely, yet because I wanted to not just feel like a 'Doggett-less' Doggett & Ephgrave, I used it sparingly; so little, one journalist described me as “Dave Gorman-lite”; a comment that niggled, when Glyn and I had used projection intricately in the past (if I do say so myself). Looking back now, I can see why its infrequent use in my solo show led to this criticism.
Today, it occurred to me that perhaps I needn't have to try so hard to avoid using it in my new show (and during next month’s work-in-progress dates) if it would be useful to get whatever point I want to get across. That’s not to say it will be identical to my work with Glyn. Ultimately, it will still be different, for the simple reason that he won’t be there, which will inevitably give it a different tone to when he is. I also remembered today that a lot of the writing is done, as I have two years’ worth of blogs to use as a resource. Some of it’s allegedly already funny. Now, all I need to do is knuckle down on it. Knuckles away!
For some reason, I've got into the mindset that the material I write for myself has to be very different style to what I do with Glyn. This made sense when I first started gigging alone, as I didn’t want to feel I was retracing Doggett & Ephgrave’s footsteps without forging an identity of my own. It was also a question of logistics, as I thought it might be difficult to get solo spots at clubs still using a projector – not to mention having to carry the equipment to venues by myself.
Now I’m a year into doing gigs on my own, I’ve proved I can do comedy without the aid of a slideshow. I’m not sure why this was important to me, but it was. I guess it was partly because I liked the idea of challenging myself, as well as the thought of not having to lug the gear around to shows, which I’ve always done in the past; instead just using a mic.
I did still use the projector for my first show ‘…and Ephgrave’, but more as a crutch than anything. I was so used to having something audio-visual to turn to as a comfort blanket that I didn’t want to drop it entirely, yet because I wanted to not just feel like a 'Doggett-less' Doggett & Ephgrave, I used it sparingly; so little, one journalist described me as “Dave Gorman-lite”; a comment that niggled, when Glyn and I had used projection intricately in the past (if I do say so myself). Looking back now, I can see why its infrequent use in my solo show led to this criticism.
Today, it occurred to me that perhaps I needn't have to try so hard to avoid using it in my new show (and during next month’s work-in-progress dates) if it would be useful to get whatever point I want to get across. That’s not to say it will be identical to my work with Glyn. Ultimately, it will still be different, for the simple reason that he won’t be there, which will inevitably give it a different tone to when he is. I also remembered today that a lot of the writing is done, as I have two years’ worth of blogs to use as a resource. Some of it’s allegedly already funny. Now, all I need to do is knuckle down on it. Knuckles away!