mostly david ephgrave

With the current coronavirus crisis progressing as it is, it was nigh on inevitable that we'd cancel next week's Hitchin Mostly Comedy; it wouldn't have been responsible to go ahead, irrespective of whether the government's banning public gatherings yet. ( https://www.thecomet.net/what-s-on/theatre-arts/hitchin-mostly-comedy-night-postponded-1-6561683 ) The question is: what happens, from here on in? If the virus continues to spread, theatres, venues and the entertainment industry as a whole will grind to a halt, as may be necessary for public safety, but what might be a luxury item for the audience is a way of life for those who work in it. And in the same way that heightened terrorist activity or economic crises often lead to poor turnout, the fear of contracting COVID-19 could potentially decimate the number of people going out. Short-term, postponing next week's gig was the right thing to do all around. Firstly, ticket-sales were already down, presu...

Today, I managed to cross another work-related chore off the list by completing and ordering the artwork for my Bath Comedy Festival dates next month. Now, at least the route's a little clearer before the two shows take place. Being honest, I've had next-to-no time to write anything new yet what with my dad's situation and all, so it's likely to be a bit of a mish-mash of old tried and tested stuff, but at least it's a nice gentle warm-up into gigging solo once again. Then by the time I get to Brighton, I'm hopeful I'll have a few fresh ideas to throw into the midst. We also had the pre-sale for Tony Slattery's appearance at Mostly Comedy today, which is selling healthily, particularly when you consider it was only announced at the end of last week. I'm looking forward to having him at the club as he's someone I've always liked, and it's always nice to play host to interesting new people.

One thing I’m finding hard to get my head around as I approach another Edinburgh is ignoring the loneliness that goes with putting together a solo show again. (This will be my fourth in three years, or my difficult fourth album.) I don’t know what it is - it’s probably just cumulative - but I’m finding it difficult to work up the requisite energy. I think it's partly due to the lack of an outside influence to coerce me into doing it. Most of what I do starts and ends with me, and with each passing year, this self-sufficiency becomes boring; I long for the time when someone else brings something to the table that excites and inspires me and becomes a kicking-off point for something creative, but that's not really an option now I'm no longer in a band and my double act's been on a low pilot-light for a few years. Despite my despondent tone, today's actually been a good day creatively, after a thorough sifting through my blog (...

Today was a day of pragmatically working through a list of admin that needed to be done to essentially clear the decks for me to get on with some writing. I’ll often check things off a list when I have a few deadlines as it helps concentrate my mind on what needs doing, as well as giving me the sense that things are moving forward. Today I was particularly insistent and stuck to the list without deviation, even if it felt like, as ever, I was drowning in a sea of everything but the creative side of what I need to do; I knew that ultimately I’d thank myself for keeping at it, and I genuinely feel doing so will stand me in good stead for the next few weeks. Much of what I did today makes for dull reading, but it was still worth it. I pulled together a blurb for the back of our St Albans Mostly Comedy flyer, wrote a press release for the middle of our three dates there, finished the artwork for my Bath Comedy Festival dates - as well as ordering it - ...

It was nice to be able to treat myself to a proper day off today, after the success of this weekend’s shows. I didn’t expect the reaction to be so positive so soon, or for the running time of the material to be as comfortably long; that’s not to say that there won’t be big changes before it transforms into what I take to Edinburgh, but it’s heartening to already be at such an encouraging point; at the least, I felt allowed to take a bit of a break from it today, after working so intensely on it for the past week. I’m not really sure what I’ve done with my free time today. This evening was very television led, what with finishing the Mel Brooks’ film Young Frankenstein (which we started watching the day before I went to Bath) and the last episode of Broadchurch. I hadn’t seen the former before, but really enjoyed it; it’s shot beautifully and is full of brilliant comedy performances from every one of the cast. The latter was enjoyable too, even if it almost universally pa...

Tonight saw my last show in Bath, which I’m pleased to report went well, like the first one. Me, contemplating the meaning of life, pre-show. As is often the case when you have a long day with a gig at the end of it, it got to the stage where I almost hoped I wouldn’t have to do it. Signs literally seemed to point that way when I arrived at the venue to find I’d been missed off the blackboard outside; it’s disheartening when you’re booked to do a show at 6:00pm, yet the sign outside the pub suggests there’s nothing on until 11:00pm; how many people would see this and turn away? This negative feeling was compounded when the act before me overran by over ten minutes, which meant I got into the space late and had less time to deal with a sound issue that came up. Thankfully, I managed to fix this, but the stress of the truncated get-in didn’t put me in the best mindset to talk for an hour; I could have done without the agro. Ultimately, I was glad things went ahead, a...

I did the first of my two Bath Comedy Festival dates today, which I really enjoyed, despite a slightly frenetic lead-up. Live and in CHALK. My wife and I drove down this morning (she did the steering and I did the pedals), and while the journey was pleasant, we arrived with only just enough time to park, drop our things off at the hotel and get to the venue. The show before me came down at 4:00pm with mine set to start at 4:30pm, yet we only walked into to the building at 3:45pm-sh. Consequently, I didn’t have much chance to look over my notes before I began, which could have been fraught when most of the material was new. Thankfully, the get-in was swift and unstressful (largely thanks to the excellent tech staff), which was a relief, as you never know if there’s going to be an issue when you go into a new space, particularly when running AV to an unknown projector and desk. Despite the rush, I settled pretty quickly once I’d begun, ...

I’m pretty much all set for my shows in Bath this weekend . I did a couple of runs today, to get the general shape of what I’m doing in my head, and it seems to zip along quite nicely. There are points I’ll definitely address in the coming months and other bits that need writing, but it will be nice to at least get some of the ideas out in the open, even in their early state, to start seeing what works. Some of the material I do this weekend may not make it to Edinburgh, but hopefully a fair amount of it should - and it’s encouraging to have the beginnings take shape. My only concern is whether the tech set-up at the venue will be as I need it. It should be, but there’s always an added element of stress when you’re unable to get into the space until half an hour before the show. The start time for tomorrow is 4:30pm and then 6:00pm on Saturday, which is a pain as it would have been more helpful the other way around, to give more of a window to drive to Bath tomorrow and an...

I did a ten-minute spot of mostly new material at the lovely Famous First Words gig at the Gunners Pub in Arsenal tonight, making a point of not mentioning my parents' since-the-mid-1960s Spurs Season ticket in the process. It's a Bed-in. I messaged the promoter yesterday on a whim to see if he'd be prepared for me to stage an intervention with a bed sheet and a projector, so I could try some of my slideshow-based material; because he’s a decent chap, he said yes, which was great, as with my Bath work-in-progress dates looming on the horizon, the more chances I get to run stuff, the better. Easily the most pleasing moment for me was when the video-based gag I opened with, which is my favourite new bit (and took a fair amount of time to edit) got a big laugh. This year’s show is at a very early stage, but I plan to sprinkle similar clips throughout it as a palate cleanser - and the fact this one worked gives me the impetus to see this through; not in...

I'm currently swimming in a sea of admin for the various festival dates I'm doing over the next few months that it's got to the point where nearly every waking moment is spent editing a press release or working on something show-related. This evening was no different, as I had to put together the press release for April's Mostly, so I could get it sent out in time to have a positive effect. See below for this month's cut-and-shut prose; I thought I'd share it here as it relates to me more than usual: Press Release – 01.04.17 mostly comedy a monthly comedy and music club at the sun hotel in hitchin With the Edinburgh Fringe looming on the horizon, most comedians turn their minds to putting together a new show. Consequently, April’s Hitchin Mostly Comedy will tip its hat to the time of year by hosting two extended work-in-progress sets from circuit comics TIFF STEVENSON and DAVID EPHGRAVE . TIFF STEVENSON is an a...

The reaction to Hal Cruttenden at this evening’s Hitchin Mostly Comedy was one of the most vocal I remember. Doggett, Cruttenden and Ephgrave after March's Hitchin Mostly Comedy (23.03.17) He was great. Prior to tonight, I was more familiar with his appearances on panel shows and on 'The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice' than of his stand-up, but it was his warmth that drew my interest and made me think he’d be great for Mostly, but even I wasn’t prepared for how good he would be; his crowd work was super-sharp and - as cliché as the this may sound - the laughs came thick and fast. Joey Page at tonight's show. The night was a very strong one anyway. Joey Page took the first half after us and did a great job. He’s a lovely guy and one of our most regular go-to acts, having played every venue we’ve run in Hitchin, London and Edinburgh, bar the Summer Specials at the Queen Mother Theatre (though he did do the Summer Sp...

Today I had a reasonably productive day, which included finishing off and ordering artwork for my Bath ‘All Work, No Progress’ dates (which are practically three weeks away; shit-sticks), rehearsing some new material for tomorrow’s Mostly and having a quick look at some of the other blogs I’m likely to work into stand-up. I’ve got quite a few spots over April to try stuff out (including my Bath shows and an extended work-in-progress set at Mostly the week afterwards ) but the only sticking point is the material I think shows my strongest suit involves projection, which I’m less likely to be able to use at these gigs. The dates will still be useful, as there’s always stuff I can work up, but I don’t like not performing at my best - and while I’ve definitely got better at telling straight stand-up stories, my experience with slideshows from Glyn’s and my live act inevitably makes for punchier content; I instantly feel more comfortable and in control with ...

So 2016 draws to a close, and what a year it’s been. I’m not going to delve into the political upheaval of the past twelve months as, if I did, it would dominate this blog post and bring the mood down. I also won’t dwell on the sad loss of so many influential figures in the public eye; a list so long, it's very easy to miss people off. On a personal level, the year has been mixed. The biggest step was taking my second solo show to my first solo Edinburgh Fringe. This was a huge leap of faith that was terrifying to comprehend as it drew closer, yet I came out the other side of that 24-date run largely unscathed, having genuinely enjoyed it. I can’t thank my wife and family enough for their unflinching support as I cycled in and out of confidence, and my friends (and Best Men) Glyn Doggett and Stephen Halliday for their advice, time and feedback; they’re all in my Last Will and Testament, though my estate is such that they won’t wind up with much...

Today's been the dictionary definition of jam-packed. (N.B. It's not literally the dictionary definition, but FUCK YOU . This is my newer, reworked, rowdier post Bath-Comedy-Festival self, and you've gotta LIVE WITH IT .) (...I'll now step down from my pedestal.) The day started with meeting Glyn for breakfast, which was nice, as it gave us the chance to catch up on what's been happening for us both in the past few weeks. I filled him in on my Bath Festival experience, which was for the most part good, and he filled me in on his current job hunt. The only slight frustration was we were pushed for time from the start as I had a doctor's appointment, so we resorted to talking in bullet points. Nevertheless, it was still a good thing to do. After my appointment (which I won't relay, as there are limits), I went to the office to quickly look at a prospective set for a gig I was doing this evening (which I'm currently on the train back from as I write th...

Tonight, I didn’t have a show, as no-one came to see it. This isn’t as bleak as it may read at first glance. Firstly, I barely slept last night, so I wasn’t exactly feeling match-fit. Also, I had the chance to run the show in the space, which made me feel more comfortable for tomorrow. I also got to set up at a leisurely rate, which is always good when you have an elaborate tech set-up (the word ‘elaborate’ is a little hyperbolic, but I’m now on the outside of one and a half espresso martinis and a glass of prosecco, after enjoying a lovely meal in an Italian restaurant with my wife and Stephen (who couldn’t finish his espresso martini due to an amaretto allergy; the most middle class sentence you’ve ever read). It made for a nice release after a long day, and a nicely sociable evening. Me, setting up, like. I’m raring to go for tomorrow. I’m looking forward to getting my new material out in the open and trying it out. It’s a shame I won’t get ...

Tonight, I did a spot in the Bath New Act competition, as it felt like a thing to do while I'm here...and still on the fringes of being able to describe myself as a ‘new’ act. It was a nice room and a great line-up of a very high standard. I was on first, which can be a bit of a poisoned chalice, as the room aren't sufficiently warmed up, and you can easily get forgotten in the stream of other acts. That said, I quite like getting it over and done with, rather than having to keep my brain firing asI wait to go on. That said, my set went well and the audience were pretty responsive, which was good, as I took a bit of a risk and did mostly new material, in a slightly different format to what I've done in the past. I didn't get through to the final, which was a shame, but to be honest, it wasn't what it was about for me (but I would say that). I see every gig as a chance to bed in new stuff and settle into working alone again, as I gradually build up my stamina and c...

Today felt pretty productive. Aside from the odd bit of personal admin, such a dropping off prescriptions and buying bin bags, I spent much of the day running material and starting to piece a set together for this weekend’s show. I felt quite energised and enthused by the results, which was an exciting place to be this early in the week. My only sticking point at this stage is whether to be bold and make my setlist predominantly new, untested (and relatively untested) stuff, or whether to pad it out generously with things I've tried before, such as material from last year’s show. I'd initially intended on doing the latter, but working through my notepads today, I reminded myself of various bits and pieces I'd vaguely worked up, or blogs I thought would be appropriate for stand-up, that I could probably learn sufficiently over the next week. I remembered the reason I'd booked the Bath dates in the first place: as a chance to openly try new ideas out. I don't expect...

Today (Sunday), I reached my secret self-enforced mental cut-off point for writing new material to go into next weekend’s Bath Comedy Festival ‘Work in (Hope of) Progress’ dates . I'm surprised by how much new non-projection based stuff I've accumulated, but I suppose it's no wonder when I think of how few gigs I've been able to use the technology at in recent months. That's not to say there won't be more of it to squeeze into my Brighton and Edinburgh show - there are more than a handful of routines I have in mind for it - though I'd sooner draw a line under what goes into the Bath setlist, than put in too much half-formed half-learnt stuff I won't yet be able to do justice. It’s reassuring though, as it gives me a firm sense of the direction my show will take in the next few months. My Bath ‘Work in (Hope of) Progress’ dates will be markedly different to Brighton and Edinburgh’s ‘Mostly David Ephgrave’ show, but no less free-sta...

Today’s been mostly concerned with ordering posters and flyers for my ‘Work in (Hope of) Progress’ dates at the Bath Comedy Festival next month. My double act partner Mr Doggett stepped up to the plate as ever to do the artwork, which is similar to that of last year’s Brighton and Camden show ‘…and Ephgrave’, only with a marginally less smug picture of me. What started as a photo I liked grew irksome over time, particularly once I’d seen it ‘in big’. The combined forces of my smarmy facial expression and the “as smooth as they come” quote conspired to make me look and sound like a bit of a dick, which may be accurate, but it still isn’t the best way to encourage an audience.   I’m keen to turn my attention fully to writing and rehearsing material now that most of the admin for Bath is done (except for writing the press release and booking my accommodation; there’s always something). The more stuff I can work into some semblance of bei...

I’ve been concerning myself with admin today for a couple of work-in-progress dates that I’m doing at the Bath Comedy Festival in April. As is always the case when you’re self-producing a show, getting the paperwork done is part-satisfying, part-frustrating; you can’t help but feel that the time spent filling in forms, choosing promo pictures and writing blurbs would be much better spent deciding what you’re actually going to say on stage when you're up there . This becomes a small, yet important background detail. I remember chatting to a well-established comic who was previewing one of his Edinburgh Fringe shows at Mostly Comedy a few years back, and remarking on my frustration with this admin / writing balance. He’d recently been taken on by one of the country’s biggest comedy producer / agencies, and told me how for the first time since he’d started out, he hadn't had to consider the organisational side of things once; everything was in...