It has been too long! What started as a short break quickly grew to 6 long months away from the stage as some TLC was applied to my less exciting but more profitable day job. Saturday night was the comeback, at the Comedy Ladder gig in Stokenchurch. It was my tenth gig, a pathetic effort in terms of lack of regularity, but a big milestone for me nonetheless.
The break took its toll, the nerves jangled as they had on my first gigs and practice was paramount, relearning lines and adding the tweaks and additions I’d planned after my last gig.
While I was in Ireland earlier in the year, I got a message from Andy Gleeks who runs and MC’s the night to invite me for a slot. The original August date was postponed and I returned for the night’s first birthday on Saturday night. The evening boasts a great concept, the idea of the Comedy Ladder being that the six acts compete for audience votes, with the winner returning to the venue for a longer slot later in the year. A headliner then comes on the top the night off.
I was billed for second on and to be honest, it wasn’t the most encouraging of starts. The mic was a tad jammed into the stand and after the first line, I pulled to remove it and applied a little too much force and it jabbed me in the gob when it did release itself! It got a laugh, though.
Laughs came for the opening gags but I felt stiff (not in that way), and my mouth was dryer than a popcorn fart. I had brought water up with me, but had forgotten to take the lid off so I was reluctant to break the flow that I needed to find my unscrewing and supping it.
Earlier in the show, Andy introduced one of the first row as the local vicar, which caused me a degree of panic given the adult content of some of my material. After one joke, I looked down to him and made an emphasised apology. That got a good laugh.
Then I began to find something approaching my flow and the laughs kept coming, the new material worked really well and I was beginning to wonder what I’d been worried about. Eventually I took the plunge and hydrated, and then I felt I got back to where I’d left off. The other acts had the confidence and performance style which I need to learn from, but I felt the content of my material stood up very well.
When I finished I sat down to enjoy the remaining acts and was buzzing when I found out afterwards that I’d come second in the votes. What surprised me even more than that bombshell was that the vicar approached me afterwards to say he enjoyed my set and I’d got his vote! What a ledge.
So I drove home happy, resolving to take some more confidence into my next outing and to keep the momentum up with more gigs. TalkSport played in the background but I hardly heard a thing as I sat in a trance and thought about the pointless and energy-sapping nature of the nerves that had preceded it.
Thanks to Andy for putting me on, it’s a great night all round with a real emphasis on fun, which is what you want on a night like this. The venue, audience, and format all work brilliantly and there is a great atmosphere to perform in. Thanks to Linda and Tim for coming, and for the ever constant support of the Thornton’s – very much appreciated.
After going to bed in the early hours, I made it up bright eyed, bushy tailed, and a spring in my step in time for early morning football. I finished the day exhausted, but happy, and ready to roll again for my next gig in 3 or 4 weeks.
Cheers.
James