Just reading Tom's post about the Glue gig on Saturday there. I don't think it went as badly as he seems to have.
It's true right enough that the audience had no clue how to take us and didn't really want to see sketches. But, as usual, by the time we finished up, we'd won a good proportion of the crowd over. I blame myself really for not thinking to start the set with a heavier hitter than "The Old Mugging". I also think that including "Fat and Stupid" doesn't work unless you either know me, or have had a chance to get to know "The guy I play in most of the sketches". So I'd count those as mistakes. We could also have been better organised in terms of the seating and the props, again, something I should have though of. Plus, we weren't very well rehearsed.
That said the new one did go down well as did Bertie and most of the rest of the set. The only ones that really fell flat were the ones I mentioned.
And it's not as if this hasn't happened before. In loads of gigs we've done the audience has taken about 20 mins to warm up to what we're doing. Then they get into it, the heavy hitter sketches come out and everyone has a good time. We only had 20 mins here, and like I said, they were just warming up to us when we finished up.
The two guys I heard arguing were pretty funny, but it was nice to hear one guy had got it, and was happy to say he enjoyed us. They guy who didn't like us was perfectly within his rights, but I'd imagine he was of the mind that he could do better. I don't see his sketch show out there though.
As for "the headline act", we're talking about a total has-been whose meaningful career ended around 1991. It says a lot about him that he said what he did. That he went onstage with no material for one.
He can think we're as "weird" as he likes. This is guy who turned up decked from head to toe in black leather with a bandana, shades and a dyed beard despite the fact that he must be pushing 50. So fine, if Axel Rose's prison bitch doesn't like us, I can make my peace with that.
All in all, I don't think we're getting many ticket sales off the back of this, so in that sense, yeah it was a bit of a waste of time. Considering it was arranged specifically for someone in particular to come and see, it was also a waste of time, as they didn't show.
But I sensed it hit confidence and for me, that's not justified. Surely we've floored enough audiences by now to realise that one sticky night where a couple of sketches died doesn't mean we can't deliver.
We know we can, and will again.
7 comments:
I had no problems with our performance and it was only 20 minutes the crowd had to like it or not like it, but still it was largely a waste of time.
As for the headline act, I have no problems with the cunt not liking us. There's a reason he's been doing comedy for 20 years and is only known by a handful of folk in a 20 mile catchment area.
I do however, have a problem with a guy who's happy to slag people off when he thinks they're not in the room, despite the fact he introduced himself to me and I was 2 feet away when he was doing his stretching exercises before he went on. And that's not even taking in the fact that he was still oblivious after he asked "Is there anyone still her from that sketch group?" and half the room turned to look at me when I said "Yes I'm still here".
At least we don't need to gig with the clown again...aw naw haud on, we do.
All in all there are better ways to spend a Saturday evening, than add names to my ever expanding Enemies List and better ways to spread the good Glue name.
Better ways to spend a Saturday night. Better than doing comedy you've written yourself to a live audience? Not many better ways as far as I'm concerned.
Naw, there really is.
Isnae
Pure is.
Tom I suggest you read "Killing Floor" by Lee Child. You get graphic descriptions on how to kill people properly. Might save you the hassle of 'only' an attempted murder charge against this guy...
Thanks Ben!
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