Gig 36: Crack Up Comedy @ The Nip and Tipple, Whalley Range, Manchester – 19th February 2012

You may remember from my diary entry for Gig 33 that I originally created the character of Den Kodd in preparation for a gig that I later found out that I wasn’t going to be performing at. Well, even later still, I found out that I would be performing at it after all, and that’s what I did last night.  Hooray.

Due to a last minute change, I was asked the day before if I could do it and I jumped at the chance.  I hadn’t been feeling too well all weekend – just a cold, in case you’re worried – so didn’t feel like preparing too much.  I re-jigged the running order of the gags, and swapped a new one in for one that didn’t work last time.  I had a quick run through in the afternoon and that was that.

In terms of my performance, there wasn’t that much to talk about, and, in many ways, that’s something worth talking about.  It all felt incredibly easy.  I had no nerves, was looking forward to it, enjoyed the performance and was able to enjoy the other acts.  It’s probably the performance that I’ve been most relaxed over.  Although it didn’t go down quite as well as at SAS, I still got plenty of laughs, and didn’t feel out of place.  There’s things that I would improve upon, but it was only my second time doing that character.  It seems telling that I enjoy myself most at those nights where it’s a bit different and that straight stand up isn’t all that’s on offer.  I think it’s going to take me a while to process what to do with that information, and how I could use it to my advantage as a performer.

I don’t usually talk about the other acts in my diary posts, but it was an honour to be part of such a great bill.  It was the first of a new monthly comedy night at The Nip & Tipple, and although the audience was small, it was appreciative and the room was great.  It was a cracking line-up of character comedy: Peter Slater (from the amazing SAS Comedy) MCed as Bernard Bananas, with Rod Shepherd: Conspiracy Theorist and me\Den Kodd\Terry in the first half.  The second half was an extended set by Spanish lothario, Wilfredo, who I had seen in Edinburgh.  It’s the first time that he’d performed in the North of England, so I don’t think the audience knew what to expect but they were easily won over by his questionable charms (definitely go and see him if you get the chance to – he’s a great act).  Hopefully word of mouth will spread about the night and will help establish it as a great night for local comedy.  If you’re a lover of comedy and you’re in the area, then you owe it to yourself to make this night work.