Enjoyable trip to Edinburgh this evening. As a performer it was the first time I'd heard the line - "You're on second, after the magicians." - it sounded so showbiz. In truth, the gig was more an educational than a glitzy experience. A comedy night in a separate room in a pub or a comedy club is one thing, performing in an area of a bar that's also being used for general drinking and has a jukebox playing... well, that's something else - a challenge to rise to. In particular, there was no comedy warm up - the first act did table magic and the comperes did not do a warm-up spot. Essentially, my first joke was the first of the evening (apart from bits of banter that preceded it). Am I complaining? No! I had to raise my game, I had to learn how to work a crowd and ignore the distractions. I think I managed to get a lot of laughs during my 9 minutes on stage.

Tonight was also my first paid gig! A landmark!

Sadly the recording quality and the response to the material is such that this is another gig I'm not going to post a clip from. You'll just have to take my word for it.

I'm having fun with this comdey lark. It's a lot of travelling and I am getting quite tired with the demands of all of my various performing roles, but I am enjoying myself and I'm meeting some interesting people. Perhaps after the fringe festival I'll never want to see a stage again... perhaps the opposite. Either way, I'd like to find out!