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The world would be a weird place without weekends. I don't mean necessarily the days of Saturday and Sunday, since another day with a different name but the same purpose would still be a day... er, that's the worse rewrite of Shakespeare I've ever seen. What I mean is that you need a break from the routine in order to give the routine some sort of value. So, although I'm here at vast expense to enjoy a festival, I was rather glad to get away from it for a little bit. I saw only one show on day 10, and even that could be argued to be a non festival show, given that it runs all the time. However, I'm counting it in my totaliser, so there!
I slept in. I can't deny it. I couldn't wake up and so I didn't. When I emerged, I tried to write up day 8's diary and nearly completed it but needed to get out. So, off I trotted to meet Mac - one of the organisers of The Comedy Cave. He took me over to his place and we whiled away the day with a variety of activities. I played him selections from the musical I've been co-writing and he was exceedingly encouraging, we played each other a few serious songs we'd written and then we set about working on some of his comedy material together. I had to be "The filter" and try to ask and answer the question - What makes a joke funny?
I also met Mac's other half and their new baby. It was a scene of domestic bliss that seemed familiar and yet distant from my own life. Sitting in a living room, having some food with Coronation Street on is not something I've done in a very long time. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I hope I made my hosts aware of that. I know I tried to.
We returned to town and set up for the comedy cave show. I was asked to stand on the Royal Mile and accompany Mac on the guitar as he attempted to serenade people into the show. I then had a go at improvising some extra verses to the song and had fun with it. I noticed a dog chained to a lamppost and gave it a quick rendition of Hound Dog, to which the dog howled back, in key and time. Only one did that dog howl and I was impressed and a little touched. It seemed cold and tired and I'm sure it was offended that I said it was no friend of mine.
We returned to the pub where the comedy cave show happens and serenaded the people in the upstairs bar. I asked someone on the table for their name and then worked there name into a made-up verse about why they should come downstairs. It was a pleasantly distracting challenge and I think I rose to it quite well... After repeating my improvisation efforts downstairs to start the show, coming out with the line "Oh... Nicola... er... do you have a nickname that... er... rhymes with something" I then sat back and watched, not needing to participate. Ok, so I did fill in two dead minutes by singing a straight song, but only because I was asked to, or given the chance to... it's all the same. I do not count my activities as being a performance in the statistical sense of this diary. So there.
I hung around the bar after the show for some live music and then toddled off home. It was all good stuff.
Show: The Comedy Cave
Performed by: Various
When: 21:30
Where: Nicol Edwards
Cost: £2
Some good acts, including Sarah Bennetto, whom I perform with but had not seen in action. A couple of the acts killed the room a bit, though, and a few people left to be replaced by loudmouthed individuals. One of the acts was heckling loudly and stealing focus, which I tried to prevent with a kindly word to the wise.
However, the audience enjoyed themselves and it was a good night.
Spent £2, saw 1 show. Had almost a day off. At the day's end:
Total shows seen: 31
Total shows performed: 7
Total spent: £193.50
14 August 2003
Ashley Frieze