After last week’s horrendous gig in Preston morale was pretty low approaching the Manchester Beat The Frog event. I’d had a week fixating on Preston Disaster Stats:
- 2.5 hours travel for each minute performed
- 5 hours of travel for each beer consumed
- 5 hours of travel per laugh achieved
- 70 Preston folk willing me to die per minute of my act
They didn’t make pleasant reading. And so I arrived at Manchester quite nervous. I set myself a simple task, beat last gig’s feeble gong show time of 1min 54secs. The best bits of advice came from 2 fellow acts, one who was massively nervous telling me that nerves are good and a sign of a good show to come (he did really well) and another, who was also on the same bill at Preston saying that I’d perhaps fallen on my own sword before and maybe this time I should plough on regardless.
So, the news is that I didn’t beat the frog/gong, however I bettered my time and have a new PB of 3 min 50 sec, which I’m actually pretty proud of. It felt a bit of a shame as I was starting to get into my stride just as I was gonged off, but will mostly new material I feel okay about it.
In a separate note, I think compereing might be for me, I felt more comfortable off-material talking to the audience.
That bit was fun.
So yes, 7/10 for the gig!
One response to “The (almost) rise of the Phoenix…”
Probably more to be gained being a compere, sample other comics material and audience reaction. Quick wit interaction with audience, and in 60 years, you can host Strictly Come Dancing!