A Portland Bill.

I had a lovely time at tonight’s preview at the cracking Portland Arms in Cambridge, which proved just how it is to arrive at a venue that’s properly equipped with a good technician to hand and a great sound and light set-up.

Me, on stage in Caombridge tonight.

As is always the case, the last few minutes leading up to the show were so intense that I went into to the gig with very little time to consider what I was about to do. It’s hard to find a space to get your head together and separate your tech and show mindset. I ended up sitting behind the screen on the stage for a few minutes so I could meditate quickly and centre myself before launching into it. Thankfully, the set-up in the space was so naturally strong that it gave me something to anchor onto (if that makes any sense) and - while yet again I have very little idea of what I actually said, it flowed pretty freely and got a good response.

Norman Lovett was on good form. He arrived probably half an hour before the gig kicked off and opted to relax in the green room while I did my set which was probably for the best as it made me feel less pressured; it’s one thing doing a new show in front of an audience, but it’s a whole other when there’s an act you look up to watching you, even if it’s someone you know well.

As ever, there were quite a few Red Dwarf fans in who asked to pose with Norm for a photos afterwards, but thankfully I didn’t feel like they spent the whole of my set just waiting for him to come on. There were certainly some good laughs in it (something Norman said himself when I went up to see him in the interval) and some nice feedback on Twitter afterwards which was a nice bonus (if unusual for me).