Gigs, theatre, cooking etc

It's been a while since I've updated this, but not out of laziness - in fact the the opposite. In the past few weeks I've played to big audiences in London, and audiences of 3 in Cambridge, as well as finally writing *the* script for Edinburgh (as agreed by the cast, hurrah!) and moved house. All in all, it's pretty good fun, but the busy stuff is just around the corner I think...

A couple weekends ago I drummed for The Lunar Pilots at the Purple Turtle in Camden and it's up there with my personal best I think, and this coming from a drummer who generally leaves the stage shaking his head at any minor slip which only he'd noticed. Just one of those really good nights, where all the rehearsals, disagreements and self-promo all felt worthwhile. A big audience, nice sound, the token complimentary friend or two in the audience...this is what I live for, finally a proper good gig which made me feel alive, the confusing but joyous fusion of happiness and achievement. A week later I was back in Cambridge playing at the Bakers with Eureka Stockade, equally tight band and lovely evening but back to the regular slog of the slightly demoralising Cambridge music scene. On Monday James and myself played an acoustic gig, also at the Bakers, in front of 3 people. I'm not complaining; I love gigging, and always have a pride thing going on when performing live no matter how big or small the audience, but it's the nights where you "just need to get through it" that can kill your love of it. Until the next show, that is...

My Edinburgh show is nearing the 100% confirmed stages though. It's a new comedy, called 'With Arms Outstretched' and I'm chuffed with it. I'm really pleased Sunday nights reading with Colin, Victoria, Alan and Heather went well - it's a relief considering the amount of shite I've been getting them to act in recent months. This ticks all the right boxes, the same feel as the Christmas show (and one of the same characters - Alex...Colin plays him so well so it made sense), and some familiar traits usually considered for a Paul Richards play: ROMANTIC COMEDY - TICK, UNHAPPY ENDING - TICK, MUSICAL OBSESSION - TICK, AWKWARD YOUNG MEN CHARACTERS - TICK, PETTY WOMAN WHO ALWAYS COMES OUT ON TOP - TICK, DOMESTICALITY SUCH AS REFERENCES TOWARDS KITCHENS AND JOB STATUS - TICK. It'll be great :-)

Been offered a venue as part of the free fringe, which is part of the Edinburgh Fringe - it's a nice deal, I don't pay for the venue, the audience see it for free. It'll still cost me accommodation and admin fees - probably about a grand, but that's nothing for the Fringe. Still not sure how I can afford it, but fuck it - I'm doing it, so there. Also on the verge of confirming a warm-up date at the ADC Theatre, which is a huge venue. If we don't pack it out we'll look silly, but if we do it could practically fund the rest of the run so it's worth the risk me thinks.

Exciting times, but in all my happiness about Edinburgh I had completely forgotten we have a show heading to Brighton in May. *shit, panic, shit, panic* etc, I'd best finish writing it at some point.

Ah yes, and I'm now finally living by myself, in a small flat in the middle of nowhere. So, there maybe down sides: LACK OF COOKING ABILITY - TICK, A LITTLE FURTHER AWAY FROM MY FRIENDS FAMILY AND REGULAR REHEARSAL SPACE - TICK, THE FACT THE MAIN PIPE TO THE MAIN HOUSE GOES THROUGH MY BEDROOM SO WHENEVER SOMEBODY GOES TO THE TOILET I GET WOKEN UP BY THE LOUDEST FLUSHING NOISE POSSIBLE (ABOUT 4 TIMES A NIGHT) - TICK, THE FACT I HAVE TO REVERSE PARK INTO THE DRIVEWAY WHICH IS STILL AN ISSUE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS OF DRIVING - TICK. But on the good side: I CAN WRITE TILL 4am AND LIVE OFF TOASTIES - TICK. Which is more than enough for now. I feel reborn, no - actually that's a bit dramatic. But I feel a bit fresh about things, even if I seemed to have turned into one of those people that eats homemade salad from a tupawear pot at lunchtimes, which I'd promised myself I'd never be.