The podcast was a bit of a struggle for me today. I tried to play up my tiredness and grumpiness a bit, but as usual that didn't really work (at least for the audience in the room) who shifted nervously as I complained about life. I was just tired and although not feeling in pain from drinking last night, I think it fugged up my brain and I was on the lowest form of the run. But luckily Mark Thomas and Rob Delaney were less sluggish and much funnier. After Mark had waxed lyrical about his admirably activism and the shows he'd been seeing I thought it would be a nice juxtaposition to explain how all I'd seen was "Pointless". It would gently mock his worthiness and less gently mock my own lack of drive to do or see anything worthwhile. I loved his shocked reaction. I have utter admiration for people like him and Stewart who manage to pack their days with work, but also have the energy and desire to seek out other shows. I have absolutely no idea how they manage it. Aside from my Pointless break I have no time in my day for anything.
You can decide if I was funnier than I think I was by listening here.
I think I always get a bit down on awards nomination day, even though I am not eligible. Perhaps it's only because I am not eligible. It's not a genuine grievance, but then it annoys me that for some little Me2 inside me it's enough to aggrevate. But once the list came out I was surprised how few women had got the nod. From the reviews and reactions I have seen it felt like this might be the year that there would be more than a token woman on each list. It seemed that many of the more challenging, inventive and more worthwhile shows were from women this year and a part of me thought that they might even make up the majority on the list.
But then again, the whole idea of a group of people selecting the "best" shows is so stupid that it's pointless getting annoyed about any of it. And perhaps by it's very nature an award chosen by 9 people will tend to favour shows that don't divide an audience. And all the comics that are on the list are very good. It must be hard to choose. Because it's stupid to choose. Especially when I am obviously the best.
That's probably what I am annoyed about. The lack of Richard Herrings.
I trudged up the hill to do an interview with Shaun Keaveny and 6Music in the Greyfriar's Churchyard. It's just behind the little statue of the tiny, hairy Scottish man who famously sat on the grave of his dog for twenty years. But remarkably in all the time I have been up here I have never stepped inside this graveyard. It's a little oasis of calm behind the hustle and bustle of the street outside. And there are some remarkable and ornate monuments to the dead here. Some on the edges are huge and block out the light to the windows of the houses behind. It's not just experimental theatre that I have failed to see whilst I am up here, but the whole city remains largely a mystery to me. We chatted amongst the dead. One day we will join them. Hopefully in a shared grave in this very spot. Not sure if Shaun will be up for that.
I didn't see how I would have the necessary energy for the show tonight, which works at its best when I am frisky and animated (and if the audience are too). There was a moment of drama three minutes before show time as something (possibly my smoke machine) blew out all the electricity in the room. The team worked quickly to fix it, but we lost music, atmosphere and the smoke and even though we got the lights back on my entrance was less impressive without the fog around me and for the first time the audience did not cheer when I exclaimed, "We're all going to die!"
But apart from that it went really well and although beforehand I'd felt like some switch had been tripped and turned off my own power, some reserve of energy was tapped and it was an enjoyable and playful show. And a few more people in than on the last couple of days.
And just to make sure that I didn't get any rest in I did my second stint on Set List tonight. I wasn't as good as last time, but blathered on about my subjects and got a few laughs. The shows are now being filmed and might be put up on the internet at some point, so you may be able to witness my struggles at some point. It was an enjoyable show to watch, though a little long at about two hours and so it was harder for the later acts. I got to bed at 2. But at least I am getting a bit of late night socialising in now, even if I am not seeing any shows apart from Pointless (it's really good though - four stars).
