It's a Mirage

Last night was our first night in professional writing. We went along to the recording of the first three episodes of Radio Scotland’s forthcoming sketch show ‘Sabotage’ of which we were assured included ‘loads’ of our sketches.

Beforehand we quaffed free drink and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Kevin McDermott and Sanjeev Kohli, who’s best known for playing Navid in Still Game. So star studded already, we didn’t need Scotland’s finest comedy sketch troupe showing up! Fizzy had to be held back from asking for their autographs…or was it from spitting on the main guy’s jacket?

As we found our seats at the back of course, we were treated to a warm up comic. Anyone who is familiar with my story about the Govan Comedy Festival should have heard the name Frances Healy. Oddly enough yet again she was faced with numerous children in the audience and did she change her routine about c***s and labias? No way!

We settled back to watch the recording with an odd feeling of apprehension. Having done You Owe Me Glue and been in total control over every aspect of the script and performance it was odd waiting to hear our stuff being read and not knowing how it would be done. Tone, accents, timing, emphasis etc. well, we shouldn’t have worried.

After half an hour or so the first episode was in the can and a total of zero of our sketches had been used. So into episode two and again not one of our sketches. During the break I failed to recognise one of the other writers when she came over to speak to us and I just stared at her blankly.

After the break we move onto the recording of episode three and yes…it’s one of ours…no, it’s just a line of ours they’ve used for another sketch. The evening wraps with not a single one of our sketches used.

As for the show itself we didn’t just listen out for our own stuff there were a few of the sketches we laughed at.

So tonight we go along once more, to sit in the dark and hope that this time a whole bagful of our stuff is being used. I think this time we may tan more of the free booze beforehand though.