Today, my PR set
me another Q&A assignment for a potential forthcoming piece in the Scottish press about
my show.
I generally enjoy
these tasks as it’s an excuse to write something, though this time my enjoyment was swiftly
nixed when, for some reason, the file completely disappeared from my computer
after I’d saved and closed it (thus having the opposite effect to what saving
it should do). I tried a little online detective work but couldn’t resurrect
the piece from the dead, so in the end I just had to write it again.
Thankfully, I remembered what I’d written pretty much word-for-word, though
this didn’t make it any less irritating to revisit it.
After writing the
piece for the second time, I phoned my PR to ask what he thought of my preview
on Saturday (this being the first chance I’d had to speak to him about it). I
was delighted to hear he enjoyed it, and was very happy with where it is
at this stage, which was exactly what I needed, as - outside of my wife -
feedback has been scarce.
Today was pretty
productive, what with all of the above and a bit of preview booking (on which more
will likely follow here over the next few days). In the meantime, you can read
my twice-written Q&A before it disappears again.
1) What’s the show/performer (name/title, venue, dates):
‘David Ephgrave: Now Who’s a Comedian?’ at Just the Tonic at The Caves, midday, 3rd-27th (not 14th) August.
2) What's it about? Who's in it? What's the inspiration behind it?:
The show is essentially my daily blog brought to life by slides from my projector and words and moves from me. I started the blog on Richard Herring’s advice, who suggested it would be a good way to hone my writing ability during an interview for my double act’s More Than Mostly Comedy Podcast; he was right, though I wasn’t prepared for the panic attacks I experience every time I miss a post.
Loosely speaking, the show is about my bugbears - Comic Sans, Alexander Armstrong’s repetitive presenting style and my failure to make a name for myself - and the bizarre things I’ve spotted in my everyday life. I once saw a cyclist signal he was going straight over a roundabout by doing a Nazi Salute; this surprised me as, if anything, I expected him to take the Far Right.
The title started life as a running joke with my wife, who’s my editor and director in all but salary. We joked that one day she’ll take a show to the Fringe with this name and - despite having no interest in performing - become a massive, copper-bottomed hit. I thought I’d better get in before she has the chance.
3) There's a lot of choice in Edinburgh why should people come and see this one?:
Because it’s the only show on the Fringe that contains a song about the length of John Snow’s socks (citation needed).
4) Any other business - say whatever you want about yourself, Edinburgh, the festival, the show.
The great thing about writing a daily blog on the Fringe is it gives the audience a chance to read what I thought about their show after the event, like a proverbial DVD extra. It also gives me a Right to Reply if things kick off. Last year, I was essentially held hostage by an irate gasman, who barged into my digs and refused to leave unless I let him install a new meter, despite me repeatedly insisting it wasn’t my house and I couldn’t authorise the work. Stressed and angry as I was, I was grateful for a place to vent my spleen and then move on from it. Mark my words, Murray from a certain patriotically-named energy provider: this year, your cards are marked.