mostly david ephgrave

My ongoing mission to tie up loose ends saw me recently edit the final episode of More Than Mostly Comedy (recorded at the last Hitchin Mostly Comedy on 9th December 2021) and my share of the edit of our most recent instalment of The McCartney McAlphabet . Both are available wherever you pick up your podcasts (you lucky thing, you). I'm now in the unusual position of all my editing being up to date, which is a rare treat. In the case of More Than Mostly Comedy, I purposely saved it until I felt ready to look at it and for a time when the stresses of the Fringe had passed. I knew it would be bittersweet because of the circumstances. Unsurprisingly, I didn't want to spend much time wallowing in the last remaining link to something that had been so central to my life for fourteen years. The thought of being confronted by audio from a show that wasn't supposed to be our last was daunting. Both my partnership with Glyn and Mostly Comedy were things I'd fiercely protected, a...

Finally, five years on from our last instalment interviewing Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee in a conference room at Hitchin's Sun Hotel before their set at The Market Theatre next door, we have a new episode of our More Than Mostly Comedy Podcast available. This time, the comedian and impressionist Kate Robbins and standup and star of Red Dwarf Norman Lovett were in the spotlight; almost literally, in that we interviewed them onstage during the second half of February's Mostly Comedy at Hitchin Town Hall. It just so happened this was the last show before the coronavirus lockdown prevented live performances from taking place and it already feels like an age ago. I look forward to when we can return for many reasons; not least because it was great to make what was usually my favourite point of the evening - the chance to interview such fascinating people - part of the show. And though this first attempt at chatting informally in front of an audience was a little nervewracking...

I spent much of today editing the latest episode of our More Than Mostly Comedy Podcast - the first new instalment since 2015 - so we can release it later this week. The new episode is exciting for many reasons. Firstly, it's good to be back. Secondly, it features conversations we recorded together yet apart during lockdown, which - thanks to the wonders of modern technology - sound like we're in the same room. And thirdly, it's the first episode to consist of interviews recorded live onstage. See? Three reasons = many . Considering it's our first live interview and the first time we attempted capturing the recording in a challenging gig setting, I'm exceptionally pleased with it. Even without the caveats, it sounds relaxed and is an interesting listen. It helps that both interviewees - Norman Lovett and Kate Robbins - are easy to talk to and have done so many fascinating things. We couldn't have wished for two better subjects to kick-off our live conte...

Tonight we attempted a social experiment by doing the first-ever live version of our until-recently-mothballed More Than Mostly Comedy podcast, interviewing Kate Robbins and Norman Lovett onstage during the second half of this month's gig. As with most Doggett & Ephgrave projects, it was a day of multitasking with scant preparation, but then, why change what comes so naturally to us? Stress-management is our collective middle name (with clunky double-barrelment). Despite this, we came out the other side reasonably happy with how it went and with the sense that it was something we can build on in future. Most importantly, it gives us a chance to stamp our identity back on the club at the point it most risks turning into the type of faceless comedy night we never wanted it to be; I'd much rather pull a thoughtful comedy-literate crowd than a rowdy stag-party any day. Ironically, it's the size of our current venue that risks the club's identity changing the mo...

Tonight's Mostly Comedy was a slightly lower key affair than usual but was a great night nevertheless with a lovely line-up. Tonight's lovely Hitchin Mostly Comedy line-up from left to right: me, Glyn, Norman Lovett, Bec Hill & Alison Thea-Skot. We weren't as busy as we have been lately - but then you can't always sell out - though we still had a good house. The bill was also one of the nicest you could share a stage with, with Bec Hill and Alison Thea-Skot rocking the first half, while Norman Lovett closed the night. I'm confident that anyone who knows the comedy circuit well would want to see a night like that; I know I would, even if I wasn't at such close quarters. Alison Thea-Skot displays the whole gamut of emotions at Hitchin Mostly Comedy (21.03.19). I'm glad it fell that way this week as all of the stuff with my dad has left me pretty weary and unenthused about performing. Today wound up being no better, with me receiving a call...

Yesterday's preview at the Portland Arms in Cambridge was a real joy, just like the year before it. As with last year’s gig, I shared a bill with Norman Lovett, who’s such an easygoing person to be around; while I’m less likely to overthink it at Mostly Comedy, I’m a lot more choosy about who I book when it’s just the two of us and I’m doing a preview; I don’t want to be with anyone who intimidates me or the whole “I’m not really a comedian” inner-monologue will surface. While the wealth of Norman's experience is never far from my mind when I see him, he’s such easy company I can quickly overcome it, plus he's appeared at Mostly Comedy so frequently and even took part in a rehearsed reading of a script I wrote with Glyn a few years back; all of which helps me feel comfortable when I’m about to launch into a new show. The journey to Cambridge was as sweaty and stressful as you might expect in the current heatwave, involving a missed (and presumed early) bus, a taxi no-s...

Some days, you inevitably use a press release you put together for the next show at your comedy club as a blog post; well, today is one of those days: read it and weep (as long as you also factor in booking tickets...) Press Release – 07.03.18 mostly comedy a monthly comedy club, at the sun hotel in hitchin March sees two instalments of Doggett & Ephgrave’s Hitchin comedy club Mostly Comedy at The Sun Hotel: while 30 th March’s performance of PHILL JUPITUS’ tour show JUPLICITY is officially sold out, returns can potentially be snapped up on the night; tickets for 22 nd March with Red Dwarf’s NORMAN LOVETT , however, are still available at time of going to press. NORMAN is a veteran of the stand-up circuit. He played the original Comedy Store on countless occasions - once supporting The Clash, which he sees as a personal career highlight. Television credits include his BBC2 Sitcom 'I, Lovett' and Paramount Comedy's '...

Today was a day of low-level admin, including finalising the first line-up for St Albans Mostly Comedy (which is good news), putting together a mailing list mailout for next week’s show (in which I mentioned the news of our soon-to-be additional venue, without actually revealing where it was) and generally not doing a great deal, save a little reading, as I hadn’t slept particularly well last night, so writing wasn’t an option. Within the mailout I mentioned the fact that Red Dwarf celebrated its thirtieth birthday yesterday - something I hadn’t realised until Norman Lovett tweeted about it - which felt pertinent, what with us regularly playing host to both Hollys, which we’re doing again over the next few months. Without double-checking due to laziness, this must put Red Dwarf alongside The Simpsons as one of the longest running sitcoms, though in the case of the former, it’s been a little more off-again on again instead of going straight through. ...

Tonight’s Mostly Comedy was one of those effortless gigs where everything fell into place. A selection of shots of tonight's line-up, featuring us, Mark Watson, Bec Hill and a bonus pic of Glen Davies. After the show, there was a definite sense between Glyn, our tech Paul that it was a night we should be proud of. Mostly’s one of those things that can comes gently in and out of favour in your mind, what with all the organization and the fact our identities get lost in the midst of an event people forget we’re the originators of. You also start to take for granted the level of line-ups we have as a matter of course, which are really quite extraordinary. This week is a case in point. Tonight was the first in a three-day-straight of Mostly Comedy shows, with Mark Watson and Bec Hill tonight in Hitchin, Richard Herring and Hattie Hayridge tomorrow in Hitchin too and an extra bill of five previews in Letchworth tomorrow topped by Norman Lovett...

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 ...

Today, I nipped to Letchworth to meet with illustrator (and one-time - two-time - comedy poet) Mushybees, to discuss an event Mostly Comedy will act as surrogate parents to as part of Letchworth’s Arts Takeover in a couple of weeks. Months ago he got into contact to see if we’d be up for co-organising a comedy stage as part of Letchworth’s weekend of arts-based attractions in July; something I’d provisionally said yes to, before things got hectic in the lead-up to Edinburgh and we didn’t take it any further. Despite not getting down to the nitty-gritty straight away, we managed to pull a line-up together in a back-and-forth of emails yesterday, leading to me getting Glyn’s blessing and us deciding we’d officially go ahead with it (whatever ‘officially’ means in this context). In reality, it’s not complicated: from 12pm until 6pm-ish on the 22 nd July, Glyn, Mushybees and I will host four Edinburgh previews from four acts (including me), before Nor...

The nicest thing about tonight’s preview - aside from the fact it went ahead - was that some of my ex-students came to see it. I’d clocked their name on the booking list for the previous Actors’ Temple show, which we ended up having to pull, and wondered if it was them (their surname rivals mine for its unusualness) so I was particularly pleased they were able to make the rescheduled date; it’s lovely when someone goes to trouble of booking - let alone planning to travel into town specifically to see you - that you hate to be the reason it doesn't go ahead. They enjoyed the show, which was a compliment as they were always very funny themselves. They were the first to put their hand up for any improv game I set and they always made me laugh. Their class was full of talent, and the keenness they injected into proceedings made the job a lot of fun. The show was fairly good and was certainly very useful, even when putting tearful reunions to o...

Unfortunately, I've had to cancel tomorrow’s preview in Winchester with Norman Lovett as the take-up hadn’t been as much as we would have liked - and while I could have left it a little longer to see if we sold more, it made sense to call it now, to allow time to inform ticketholders and to save the hassle of getting there tomorrow to find we're just as quiet. It’s very frustrating, but ultimately can’t be helped, and it feels better to make the decision today instead of leaving it hanging, particularly as most of the day was spent going through the mechanics of cancelling it, leaving me no time to work on the show itself. All this does is echo how I’m sick of being the one doing all the organising and how I'm seldom, if ever, the one previewing my show on someone else’s night with them doing all the booking and promotion. In fact, now I think of it, in all the time I’ve worked with Glyn or on my own, we’ve never previewed a show at someone els...

Tonight saw the first Broadway Cinema & Theatre Mostly Comedy (in the company of Norman Lovett and Arthur Smith) and it’s fair to say that we all had a lovely evening. A Doggett & Ephgrave whistle duet (02.03.17) It was nice to present the club in a proper theatre and to able to use Glyn’s and my experience in th at kind of space with our other work in a Mostly Comedy context. On a personal level, it 's quite something to note the journey the club has taken since its early days in the tiny room above the George pub in Hitchin eight and a half years ago . The Br oadway's not a venue I’d ever anticipated working in, having always been a cinema up to its recent refit ; it was a definite step up from my only other gigs in Letchworth up to that point with Big Day Out at the Arena Tavern over the road , and with both Big Day Out and the Buddy show at Plinston Hall. Helping Norman find his glasses. It helped that we had exactly the right bill fo...

Yesterday, I met Glyn briefly to go over business related to March’s Mostly Comedy at the Broadway Cinema & Theatre in Letchworth. The gig is less than five weeks away and we’re pretty much up-to-speed. It should prove to be a nice optional extra to our Hitchin shows, with a gentle nod to our occasional   - for want of a better word - upgraded Summer Specials. Every so often, we’ve staged a version of the club at a bigger venue to wherever we were based at the time, which have always been a successful, slightly posher alternative to the usual gig. This will be the biggest room to date, in keeping with the club’s gradual growth over the last eight years, and the fact it’s in a theatre (instead of the studios and ballrooms of the past) should make for a well-earned, slick, higher-grade event. (No pressure.) There are a few challenges. The main one is seeing if the fact the venue has only just been reworked from a cinema into a theatre...