Poetry, Praise and James Acaster: how to feel better this Christmas.
Friday was my office party. No jeans, no trainers. So, somewhat honour of This is England '88 I decided that I was wearing these babies...
... plus the floaty black skirt you can see and a purple chiffon Jeff Banks top that you can't. Nothing on the invite about no goths or designers who were big in the 80s. The Jeff Banks top is second hand and I'm not sure that it doesn't smell of charity shop still, even after a couple of washes. Still, I think the patchouli overpowered that.
It's been a fairly good week for me. I've done loads of knitting, I've won some tea in a competition (wowsers) and I've done a couple of gigs that went really well.
There was my WAMA at the Vic last week, which was sweet as always. Then, last Saturday, I was helping out at the Lewis Schaffer gig when he asked me if I would introduce him and do some of my poetry. I was absolutely chuffed to be asked and so I did. My poems went down well and Lewis was very kind about them. Lewis's Free Until Famous show is pretty dynamic and organic as he weaves sharp words round the audience whilst being simultaneously nice as pie to the deserving. He skilfully dealt with a couple of dicks who'd wondered in (hey, that's so not the Fishmarket, dicks!) made some noise, then wandered out again. Oh - and the cat lady. Less said about the cat lady, the better...
Anyhoo - looking forward to seeing James Acaster there next on 22nd. Yay!
On Thursday night I was in Luga-Baruga, as some Australian hitchhikers my friend once met called it.
Go on...
No?
Loughborough.
This was for Ishi Khan-Jackson's 2Funny gig at the Swan in the Rushes. A sweet little gig with an opens/pro headliner set-up. I tried out some new stuff and a Christmassy porn poem. Why not?
It was a very enjoyable night, with James Worden, Rachel Sambrooks, Aaron Twitchen, Chris Heard, Matt Ridge, Rob Jackson and headliner Joe Wells. My set went down well and I got some very nice comments from Joe and some of the punters. Joe also does poems in his set, but brings his politics to the fore a lot more than I do, mixing the funny and clever in a way that I find encouraging and enviable.
Anyway, I've been generally very encouraged this week. As soon as we hit December, I'd been thinking 'what's the point?' about a lot of stuff. But I've been reminded I can still laugh, I can still feel little swellings of pride, I still have people I love and care for and I want their lives to be better. This means I can't be passive, I have to do more, not less. But I will be pickier about those things I choose to do.
Anyway, if you want to wrap a hug round your soul this Christmas week, I can recommend one no warmer than a visit to The Fishmarket this Thursday to see this chap from Northampton's own Kettering, as Josie Long once described him:
Kettering Comedian James Acaster returns to the Nook to perform his annual solo show, “Zebra Christmas.” It’s free entry! After the show we'll be having a little Nook Xmas party, bit of a buffet and some danceable tunes - prize for best Xmas jumper!
James has appeared on “Russell Howard’s Good News” on BBC3 and Chris Addison’s “Show and Tell” on E4. He has also supported Josie Long, Jack Whitehall and Milton Jones on their UK tours.
He took his show, “Amongst Other Things”, to the Edinburgh Festival this year. Here’s what people said about it...
“Blisteringly funny and highly original” - The List ****
“An undeniable and wickedly original talent” - Fest ****
“Delightfully whimsical, deliciously daft and no slouch in the surprises department” - Evening Standard ****
“Welcome to one of the funniest shows on the Fringe this year” - Edinburgh is Funny *****
“A unique insight that searches for the most wonderfully funny experience worth sharing” - Edinburgh Evening News *****
“A highly imaginative and strikingly funny debut hour” - Spoonfed ****
“Someone who is on the brink of something very special” - British Comedy Guide ****
He will be bringing with him Nathaniel Metcalfe, one of the most engaging and truly brilliant comics in the entire world.
So, yes, come along, it’s usually a lot of fun!
Entry is FREE! Pay what you can if you laugh (and you will)...
... plus the floaty black skirt you can see and a purple chiffon Jeff Banks top that you can't. Nothing on the invite about no goths or designers who were big in the 80s. The Jeff Banks top is second hand and I'm not sure that it doesn't smell of charity shop still, even after a couple of washes. Still, I think the patchouli overpowered that.
It's been a fairly good week for me. I've done loads of knitting, I've won some tea in a competition (wowsers) and I've done a couple of gigs that went really well.
There was my WAMA at the Vic last week, which was sweet as always. Then, last Saturday, I was helping out at the Lewis Schaffer gig when he asked me if I would introduce him and do some of my poetry. I was absolutely chuffed to be asked and so I did. My poems went down well and Lewis was very kind about them. Lewis's Free Until Famous show is pretty dynamic and organic as he weaves sharp words round the audience whilst being simultaneously nice as pie to the deserving. He skilfully dealt with a couple of dicks who'd wondered in (hey, that's so not the Fishmarket, dicks!) made some noise, then wandered out again. Oh - and the cat lady. Less said about the cat lady, the better...
Anyhoo - looking forward to seeing James Acaster there next on 22nd. Yay!
On Thursday night I was in Luga-Baruga, as some Australian hitchhikers my friend once met called it.
Go on...
No?
Loughborough.
This was for Ishi Khan-Jackson's 2Funny gig at the Swan in the Rushes. A sweet little gig with an opens/pro headliner set-up. I tried out some new stuff and a Christmassy porn poem. Why not?
It was a very enjoyable night, with James Worden, Rachel Sambrooks, Aaron Twitchen, Chris Heard, Matt Ridge, Rob Jackson and headliner Joe Wells. My set went down well and I got some very nice comments from Joe and some of the punters. Joe also does poems in his set, but brings his politics to the fore a lot more than I do, mixing the funny and clever in a way that I find encouraging and enviable.
Anyway, I've been generally very encouraged this week. As soon as we hit December, I'd been thinking 'what's the point?' about a lot of stuff. But I've been reminded I can still laugh, I can still feel little swellings of pride, I still have people I love and care for and I want their lives to be better. This means I can't be passive, I have to do more, not less. But I will be pickier about those things I choose to do.
Anyway, if you want to wrap a hug round your soul this Christmas week, I can recommend one no warmer than a visit to The Fishmarket this Thursday to see this chap from Northampton's own Kettering, as Josie Long once described him:
Kettering Comedian James Acaster returns to the Nook to perform his annual solo show, “Zebra Christmas.” It’s free entry! After the show we'll be having a little Nook Xmas party, bit of a buffet and some danceable tunes - prize for best Xmas jumper!
James has appeared on “Russell Howard’s Good News” on BBC3 and Chris Addison’s “Show and Tell” on E4. He has also supported Josie Long, Jack Whitehall and Milton Jones on their UK tours.
He took his show, “Amongst Other Things”, to the Edinburgh Festival this year. Here’s what people said about it...
“Blisteringly funny and highly original” - The List ****
“An undeniable and wickedly original talent” - Fest ****
“Delightfully whimsical, deliciously daft and no slouch in the surprises department” - Evening Standard ****
“Welcome to one of the funniest shows on the Fringe this year” - Edinburgh is Funny *****
“A unique insight that searches for the most wonderfully funny experience worth sharing” - Edinburgh Evening News *****
“A highly imaginative and strikingly funny debut hour” - Spoonfed ****
“Someone who is on the brink of something very special” - British Comedy Guide ****
He will be bringing with him Nathaniel Metcalfe, one of the most engaging and truly brilliant comics in the entire world.
So, yes, come along, it’s usually a lot of fun!
Entry is FREE! Pay what you can if you laugh (and you will)...