I’m really
enjoying the process of recording our More Than Mostly Comedy Podcasts.
One of the
downsides of running your own night is you spend so much time concerned with admin that you seldom have the chance to chat properly with the
other acts. From the moment you arrive your attention is split between trying
to appease the staff and the audience; dealing with technical problems and
customer queries – worrying about whether performers will arrive, and constantly
keeping one eye on the time so the show doesn’t overrun, leaving them stranded
in Hitchin before the last train.
It becomes an
exercise in multi-tasking, with so much emphasis placed on what goes on behind
the scenes that little or no time is spent thinking about your own material, or
talking to the rest of the line-up.
A couple of years
ago, while we were still at The Croft, we had the idea to record our own
podcast. We thought that if we made a point of interviewing every act, we’d
address the problem of barely speaking to them; ensuring we didn’t just become the
guys who gave them a lift from the station and paid them at the end of each
night.
The downside of this was we increased what was expected of us; trying to find time around
hosting the evening to sit down with the line-up and record every interview.
Those first few at The Croft proved to be tricky; the only place we could set up our
equipment was in the kitchen, which would still be in use mid-recording. We
were in the way from the offset, which was never going to make for a
comfortable interview.
Since moving to
The Market Theatre it’s become a lot easier; we now have more space at our
disposal – and while it’s still a challenge to find a free moment, when we have, the results have been worth it.
We’ve had
fascinating chats with acts we look up to; talking in depth to the likes of
Richard Herring, Phil Kay, Norman Lovett and Sean Hughes about what makes them
tick. It’s also helped us redress the balance; showing we can be more than a pair
of rabbits caught in the headlights, so stressed with running the evening that
we barely communicate.
It’s also nice to
step away from the rigidity of our slideshow-based stand-up and do something a
little more off-the-cuff.
So, if you're interested in the mechanics of comedy, why not have a listen? You might find them intriguing. Episode 5 is a good starting point - if only to find out about Glyn's dubious taste in music.