The End of the Comedy Festival

Last night was the final night of the Glasgow Comedy Festival. This year was the first one in the last 4 that YOMG haven't done anything. We're not kicking ourselves over it. It's debatable how much good it would have done us, though I'm sure it would have prompted us to write a couple of decent sketches, but anyway, although there was no Glue I decided to get involved this year and help out on a few shows.

I met more people this year than I had any year I was actually performing. I got to know some comedy folk much better and made a few new pals along the way. Even although we weren't on I still had a lot of people telling me how much they like YOMG.

I've had the odd testing experience over the course of the three weeks, not least having to hold up Jim Jeffries' sold out crowd as I fumbled around to put sound on his show's climactic DVD. Then after the late show someone nicked it out the machine.

As previously blogged Glenn Wool was outstanding, a real lesson in how to perform comedy and work a room. Bruce Morton, Paul Tonkinson and Stu Who? all put in excellent shows.

However the undoubted best thing at the festival for me was last night's Limmy's Show at Oran Mor. I laughed throughout 80% of the 100 minute running time. And when I wasn't laughing I was eagerly anticipating the next laugh. Limmy looked like he was having fun on stage and I think that proved infectious for the audience, although to be honest a lot of people in the room were acting like Santa was about to come down the chimney before the show started.

His material is really inventive and he worked the audience like an old pro. This show is also where I made my only performing contribution to the festival. A couple of weeks ago I went out with Limmy and shot a video in the Botanic Gardens which formed part of the show. I did enjoy the couple of people round about me doing a double take when they realised I was the guy on the screen. As I was sitting down the front I was asked to stand up and take a bow, which I sheepishly did.

From there I went to the last night show at Agenda, which was a really good night. I think it's now almost passed into folklore already, but Bruce Morton setting the string on a balloon alight and then telling a joke in French while it burned up and popped was the moment everyone was talking about. Scott Agnew replicating it later in Alan Anderson's kitchen was just as entertaining, even if not everyone found that to be the case.

So all in all I've enjoyed it even although my performing contribution was somewhat limited. My set of photographs over the three weeks can be found here.