I had a whole lot more energy today and managed 40 minutes in the gym, though rather countered the effect by then eating a bag of Thornton's toffee. But felt much more up for life and the show than I have done for a while. On the plus side I managed to book a seat for my train home. Still a fortnight to go/just a fortnight to go - sometimes that feels like a huge amount of time, sometimes like nothing at all, but as always it feels like I have been in Edinburgh for years so the realisation that I am only half way through is a bit of a shock. Conversely it seems amazing that I have done twelve shows. Time has no meaning here. Anyway, I shouldn't be displacing
any Jewish children on my way back as I have my very own seat. As long as they remember to put the ticket in and no-one steals it.
After a very slightly shaky start it was a blinder of a show tonight. It was another sell-out, which probably means I can relax a little bit finally as I probably shan't lose money this year and may even make a little. Everything came together well and I performed with a new energy and enjoyment and did the scripted stuff well and ad-libbed some funny stuff and the audience came with me all the way. This is where Edinburgh is all about luck. Any reviewers in today would be hard pressed to find something bad to say about the show, but if they'd been in last Friday then it would have been hard to rave about it. By the sounds of things my reviews have been largely positive again and from the quotes stuck up on my posters it seems I have another raft of mainly 4 star reviews, which is great, of course, but I really would like to come up here one year and have a show that got a few five star reviews. I think tonight might have been a five star performance, and as I predicted the show (though fine to start with) is really starting to develop into something satisfying by this mid-point stage. Probably, on average, the four star rating is fair, but if you get lucky the reviewers see the exceptional shows where performance and audience gel into something magical.
The important thing is that I am improving all the time and I think that if I carry on grafting then within two or three more Fringes I might get to move up that next step. But it's already been such a slog getting this far. It feels like a fight with a University lecturer. I am pummeling away, making only gradual headway, only occasionally getting a nice punch in to his head, but then getting a kick in the balls and my shirt ripped.
There's still time and I have only been doing stand up for three years, so I can be pleased with my progress, but I suppose I am just saying that if you get the luck and a few journalists see a performance like this early on in a run, then it can make a big difference, as it can if a number of them happen to see the slightly duffer gig, that every comedian will face at least once in the Fringe. Yet the journalist will make their decision based on the performance they see and make sweeping judgements about the performer.
Ah well, that's the age old story. Surely over 16 Fringes it evens out. Maybe I am just a journeyman comic, never absolutely terrible, but never completely top flight. I would prefer to be that for my whole career than just have a year or two of celebration, before burning out.
I will keep on fighting, even though I am useless at fighting. Persistence may win through in the end.
And don't take this as being too negative an entry. I am feeling very satisfied with the way things are going, especially given how little time I had to prepare my show this year.
And good news if you live in London and can't get to Edinburgh this year. We have just confirmed a run of the show at the Arts Theatre just off Leicester Square. It's on from September 18th-22nd and 25th-29th at (I think) 9pm. Box Office is 0870 060 1742. Not sure if tickets are on sale yet, but you could give them a try.
