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I had a run down the hill and along the coastline in Scarborough and then more of a walk back up the hill, but good to be out. A lady of around my age slipped on an incline beside me and lay on her back on the hard stone. I had to stop to check she was OK. She seemed unhurt but embarrassed and refused all help. Ironically as I stopped top check her I stepped in a big puddle and nearly fell over myself. We were in danger of creating a never ending chain of people in their fifties and sixties who were on the ground and refusing help from anyone, but luckily I am made of stronger stuff and retained my balance.
Once on our way we stopped off in Whitby for lunch and to ascend the Dracula steps up to the ruined abbey. It's very rare that I do anything like this on tour, but I have an English Heritage card and should maybe make the most of it (I had left it at home so we didn't go into the abbey itself, but we didn't really have time). On the way down some German school kids were coming down the steps too. A few of them were running, which seemed a bit risky given the state of this rickety staircase. One stumbled but regained his footing, which was lucky as I'd seen enough prone strangers today and had he rolled forwards he could have killed himself and bowled over quite a few elderly sightseers and if he'd fallen sideways there was a bit of a gap under the fencing and a long drop to the bottom. He probably won't even think about that moment again in his life, but in a Universe somewhere some German parents are mourning their loss and readers of my blog are getting a spectacular entry.
On to Stockton, which I'd forgotten was essentially West Middlesbrough, so is basically the land of my fathers. It's a place that makes Doncaster look sophisticated and where the men are too out of it even to spot that there is a man who looks like a woman passing through them, let alone proposition him. In WH Smith there was an old man talking to the staff who had a parrot on his shoulder. There was a security man standing outside Greggs. The main street outside of the modern shopping centre speaks of a time when Stockton was a rather grander place.
When we'd got to the hotel the receptionist had asked if we were here for the big concert and I thought word must be getting around that I was in town, but it turned out that Take That were playing Middlesbrough. Every other guest at the hotel was going to see them. I thought about suggesting to Mark Owen that we did each other's gigs to see if anyone would notice.
I probably didn't get as many people in as the Take That lads (must have been close though) but the room was full enough and it was a really strong gig - maybe the best performance of the second half yet, with Right Bollock going down very well.
It's been a lot of fun so far and by the time the tour finishes we'll have a new government. I'm not saying that's necessarily a direct result of the power of my comedy, but it makes you think.
A really interesting chat with Kevin Jon Davies about Douglas Adams and 42, Kevin's excellent collection of Adams' memorabilia
is now up on the book club.
