So, didn’t tell everyone because I was really nervous about this, however now its been done I can talk freely about it. Tonight I performed my first stand-up gig, doing around 12 minutes (I think, may have been more, possibly less).
It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for years but have always had the fear about. I guess I’ve always had a little fantasy about being a stand-up but never thought it could be possible, I suppose that’s why I started running comedy nights and booking comedians.
I decided to take the plunge because I’m staring at 28 and wondering whether what I’m doing with my life matters enough. You always want to make a difference, effect people, maybe seek a bit of attention, a bit of ego-stroking – so this was a chance to give it a go, in a safe environment. I took a course with Hot Water Comedy Course which gave me exactly what I needed, a kick up the arse, opportunity to stand on-stage and try to be funny. Paul Smith gets a special mention as the most supportive man ever, and Binty for his boundless enthusiasm. Sometimes it’s the support of people you don’t know that pushes you through this barrier.
So how did it go? It’s difficult to know, as a playwright I know that it’s difficult to take people’s opinions at face value, they always mean well but people invariably sugar coat to help and protect you (and I’d do the same for a friend). However I think it was okay, I’m not sure I was any worse than any of the other acts (apart from Paul Smith and Adam Rowe, who were ace as always), the first 10 was good, I maybe became overly conscious of time so pushed through the second half. Maybe the set needs a few more second half jokes rather than aiming for poignancy. I was also thrown a little by the diversity of the audience, last week when I watching it was 80% students, tonight there was 1 in!
Will I do it again? Maybe, I’d like to, i’m not really sure where, or how, or if I should, or if I should work up an incest joke to make the ending more hilarious. So yeah, if you’ve ever thought of doing stand-up and haven’t then give it a go, it makes a change to your personality, I feel more confident, happy and excited there might be more to the world than marketing… Well, maybe…
5 responses to “My first gig…”
That’s awesome dude! I recon that if you do your first gig and don’t want to pack it in, that’s a good first gig ;).
Book some more spots! As you just said, deadlines are the best motivator.
Cheers Ed!
Congratulations, first step is always the hardest.
You should definitely do it again you were great. You need more stage time sure. Everybody does. But you definitely have talent for stand up. I hope you keep at it.
Cheers Paul!