Rhyl was mercifully snow free and I made my escape early in the morning, hoping against hope that those massive white bouncing balls from the Prisoner wouldn't come careering down the beach towards me and stop me hasty exit.
I had actually quite liked being there, but it was a relief to be moving onwards.
So far the scheduling of the tour has been very civilised and even after a lengthy break at a service station for breakfast and blog writing I was in my posho Brummie hotel by 2pm and had the afternoon to myself. I am eating too much, and too tired to go to the gym and already experiencing tour burn out. It's so solitary and odd and I am walking around feeling a bit like I did in the dream the other night, empty, with no soul or emotions.
And I am really only just at the start of all this. The life of the stand up is a disjointed and strange one.
I also had a call about which venue I am going to be in at Edinburgh this year. I am leaving the sweat box of the White Belly behind, because it was just too uncomfortable to perform or spectate in. There were a few options and it's not confirmed yet, but I am going for a bigger room, which should be a lot more comfortable for everyone. I am quite excited about the choice I have made, though nervous that I might not be able to fill the room. Will let you know when it's all sorted. Collings and me are doing the 5 pound Fringe in weeks one and two and I am also foolishly planning an AIOTM in week 3. I have decided to give myself another year to write a play. Just too much going on at the moment.
I got a cab down to the Glee Club where I was warmly greeted by the staff who not only provided me with a comfy dressing room and efficient tech, but also had bottle of water and Budvar waiting for me (I had actually been tweeted to find out what beer I would like) and a menu for a proper meal - I had a rather excellent pizza and chips. I felt like a king. It really doesn't take much to make a comedian happy.
I decided to break with professionalism and have a beer with my pizza, which didn't affect my performance luckily, but a second beer in the interval was a little bit of a risk and I made a few unforced errors early in the second half.
I'd been hopeful that I might be able to let my hair down after the show and maybe that the staff would be up for a drink or the punters might hang around, but once I'd done my signings the place was empty and everyone was heading home, so I returned to the hotel as usual.
I was actually a bit disappointed that the bar there was not full of old people singing Hi Ho Silver Lining, but not knowing any of the other words. There were free olives to go with my glass of wine and the bar was full of people. But it was nothing on last night.
Don't get me wrong. I am really enjoying doing the show and very happy with the way things are going, but touring can be like being repeatedly punched in the soul and you get to a point where you feel a bit like Jacob Marley, wandering the earth carrying your chains with you.
But getting great responses from the audiences and I love my job really, despite feeling like a zombie. I will just try not to think about the fact that I have a gig pretty much every night from now until this time next month.
Damn I just thought about it.
It's funny, I was desperate to get out of Rhyl, but will spend the rest of my life remembering how amazing last night was. And maybe when I am 70 I will return to be entertained in the crowd rather than as a detached observer.
But some good news came in by email when I was back in my room counting up the charity money - A Very British Cult, which I filmed in
Weston Super Mare in 2005 has won Best Comedy at the British Independent Film Festival. You can see the film as one of the extras on my DVD
Oh Fuck I'm 40. It's got a great cast including Emma Kennedy and Miranda Hart (whatever happened to her) and it's nice it's got a little bit of recognition at last. And how unlike something I am involved in to get a nod.
By the way, the next brilliant Lyric Hammersmith comedy night is on 28th February and features Isy Suttie (Dobbie from Peep Show), Sarah Millican, Nina Conti and Sara Pascoe. If you don't come you are sexist.
Book tickets here. It's gonna be a really brilliant night and I am going to hack off my genitalia to make the whole thing a man-free bill.
