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I had another meeting about the Fringe this morning and it looks like we've pretty much sorted out the venue and deals for both the stand up show and the play. I think both are going to be in a 500 seater venue so I have an awful lot of tickets to sell and in all likelihood the play will lose quite a lot of money, but I am hoping that with luck the stand up show might make up for that loss. Whilst some people mourn the fact that comedy has hampered drama at the Fringe, hopefully this will be a case of comedy actually funding theatre. Of course, it might be a huge financial disaster all round, but I think it's worth the gamble. It might be the last throw of the dice for me this year in terms of raising my profile as a writer (and to an extent a performer). If the play goes well then it might open some doors. I think the idea would make an excellent film as well. But if everything flops then it might be time to reassess my life and my priorities. Even if everything hits it might be time to do that too.
With Meaning of Life and a possible release of TMWRNJ added into the mix there's some genuine financial jeopardy here. But if nothing else that is going to spur me on to do good work (let's pray) and I would much rather get my ideas out there while I am having them than be financially solvent. Caution is being thrown to the wind and creatively speaking that is probably the best thing. What's the worst that can happen? I have to sell my house, my wife leaves me and I live like a feral beast on wasteland? Yeah, that would be quite bad. But my amazing wife not only supports this risky behaviour, but says she's proud of me for trying. I have already won, however badly things go. Remind me I said that come August's empty houses and scathing crits. It's brave or foolhardy, but at least I haven't given up yet. I suspect that as usual I will do well enough to carry on with my job, but not so well that my fortunes change in any way. And that will probably suit me the best.
And the poster images are taking shape for both shows, I Killed Rasputin and Lord of the Dance Settee. I will put a selection up here for you. Let me know which ones you like the best!
After the meeting I had two hours before my Fubar show and wondered if I could walk from Ladbroke Grove to Caledonian Road in that time. Had I not stopped off for lunch near Primrose Hill I might have made it, but I did get to Camden before time's clock pressed against me and I had to jump in a cab. I enjoyed the walk very much though, allowing my mind to flit between Rasputin and ideas for Lord of the Dance Settee. Things were fizzing up there so much that I managed to forget about half of the ideas that had excited me. Hopefully they will come back to me. Now the spring is here then maybe I will take some more walks in the hope of sparking off ideas and if not then at least seeing more of my city from ground level.
The Fubar show was a bit confusing for us, as we were recording ahead for the one going out next week, as we are recording this week's show on Thursday lunchtime. Lou continues to be a distracted and distracting comedy genius/mad woman (delete as applicable), eating her lunch and catching up with admin as the show progresses. Our guest was friend, rival and copycat Ray Peacock so as you can imagine things got a bit heated at times, but also there was a lot of loose-lipped honesty about all sorts of things. It feels a bit like these shows are going out in a vaccuum, but maybe that's good as we're all saying stuff we shouldn't. Tune in to this show if you can. It's not like anything else on the radio. Because nothing else on the radio has Lou Sanders in it. She's going to be a huge star.
Had another Tuesday night date night with the wife, grabbing a quick bite at Yo Sushi before going to the cinema. I felt a bit sorry for the once premier sushi chain as it is nowhere near as good as Itsu (or the many independent Sushi restaurants), but the food was adequate and I enjoyed a beer (which I was allowed after walking for 165 minutes today). Other people must be more impressed with the place than us, because at one point a passing couple (the restaurant is in the Westfield and open to the walkways) nipped in and grabbed one of the small Yo Sushi bowls (where you mix the soy and wasabi) and made off with it. They looked very happy with their theft. Maybe they are slowly building up a kitchen of Yo Sushi themed plates and cups. If so people are largely going to be eating off very tiny bowls.
The Robert Llewellyn RHLSTP is now available to video/audio subscribers. Or get the series pass here. Here is a short clip of the show.
Doing a few gigs this week. Aldershot on Wednesday, Hitchin on Thursday and Didcot on Friday are all sold out (check with venues for returns), but there are tickets for Hull on Saturday and Cardiff on Sunday. Leeds next week is sold out, so Hull is the last chance for Yorkshire based people to get tickets. All details are here.
