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Bristol today and perhaps vaingloriously we'd put in two shows at the Old Vic. I am not sure of the numbers, but I think we could probably have just about fitted everyone in to one performance in this big theatre, but it was actually quite good fun to do the show twice. And I performed to something like 500 or 600 people in all so that's not a bad day's work.
There was a huge pride march going through Bristol when I arrived which I could pretend was for me (I love rainbows) though it did make me wonder when we will have a straight shame day. I would very much like to take part in that. I am all for people being proud of themselves, but we all have so much to be ashamed of and we hardly ever do parades for that.
Both gigs went well, but I think the evening one might have been my favourite of the tour. There was a great reaction from the audience and I adlibbed some new bits and I got some funny comments from the audience. When I was miming the surgeon telling me what they do in the operation, a man in the front row pointed out that I was manipulating the wrong ball. I was indeed miming the left ball being squeezed into my abdomen, not the right, but no one has been pedantic enough to point that out so far.
I had some fun with this and the surgeon warning me that if I ever mimed this to anyone to make sure I used the right imaginary testicle, otherwise I'd look like an idiot. All these performances and no one has ever pointed this out.
I dared to make a risque joke about topical Bristol events in the second half. I'd been thinking about mentioning it, but decided it might lose the crowd, but my subconscious took over and I said it anyway and got a huge response of shock and laughter. Things were flying and I was in full control of the stage and my instrument (I am my own instrument, but I was playing myself like a virtuoso - timing, diction, ad-libs were all spot on - it's always OK, but sometimes you get the thing right in the slot and it feels amazing and I think that maybe I am a good stand up. It's a fantastic groove to get into. I am not sure anyone else would notice the difference and the shows are still going great regardless, it's just nice to feel that extra zing and I am sure a lot of it is to do with the reaction from the crowd.
Bristol has always been one of my favourite places to play. These people get me. Because of the early start in Sheffield tomorrow I'll be doing this show 3 times in about 26-28 hours, which is a little bit crazy. But so far so good. The adrenaline got me through.
And a family emergency today as Catie and the kids headed home and realised halfway there that they'd forgotten Fluffy Rabbit (the break out star of Twitch of Fun). Phoebe has slept with FR pretty much every day of her life (maybe every day - I can't remember if she had her when she was born) and she was distraught about this separation. Even when we thought
we'd lost a lot of her soft toys in France in January Fluffy Rabbit had been safely with her.
Obviously the toy was safe and with my mum and dad and they could post it back, but the quickest way to get her back to Phoebe was to get a car to pick up the toy and bring it to me. Luckily between shows hero tour manager Bollings was prepared to drive back to Cheddar and pick the scrap of fabric up. And though Phoebe was still tearful about the separation she was a little comforted that her friend was with me and I sent her photos of the toy in my dressing room and later sleeping in bed. Now I have the responsibility of keeping the thing safe until Monday. The things we do for love. Or more accurately the things we make Bollings do for love (he got a nice bonus don't worry!).
Phoebe is so mature and grown up/sarcastic in some ways that it's easy to forget she's still a little girl who loves her soft toys. It's nice to be reminded, as much as it's heartbreaking to see a video of her crying whilst giving her thanks.
