Motala has a reputation as being Sweden’s own Chicago – The rumours are that it is a gangster town, full of lowlifes doing shady drug deals, laundering money and even human trafficking. I like Motala for its underworld reputation and going there always gives me a bit of a thrill.
Of course, the gangster thing is a bit of a myth and it’s actually a very pleasant town on the edge of the vast lake Vättern. Nonetheless, as I drive through, I try and spot the ‘hoods and imagine a speakeasy behind every second door.
My friend Emil runs a comedy night at a place by the river called Berggrens Källare and it couldn’t be less gangsta. In fact it’s probably the most civilised place I perform with great food and a genteel 19th century feel. The audience are all pre-booked for dinner which is relatively formal. The downside is that the audience start off a little too reserved/comfortable, but the plus side is that they are there for a big night out and the comedy is a part of it. The other advantage is that often you can find out a little about the audience before the show and write material in the half hour before going on. It usually works well and there have been Krav Maga enthusiasts, a pensioners’ sauna group, weekend warriors from Hemvärnet (Home Guard) and crayfish fishermen. .
Yesterday was supposed to be an outdoors gig for tired cyclists following the Vätternrund, but due to inclement weather, we played inside. I was headlining and all day I had been trying to come up with some nice bike jokes…. I liked the idea of cycling away from Motala, riding for 12 hours, getting hot, sweaty and exhausted and at the end of the Vätternrund, the reward is only to end up back in Motala… Wouldn’t it be easier to just stay put? Or put a more attractive town at the end of the course?
I was a bit nervous before going on, partly because of the last gig in Kisa, but also because I haven’t done my full schtick for over a month as I have been mainly MCing or doing shorter spots. The gig went really well in the end, and I even got some ’skolavslutning‘ material in, which I think I might make a part of my regular act.
We had to rush off at the end of the gig, which was a shame, but Kjell had to catch a bus from Linköping… I’m reading Alex James’ excellent autobiography at the moment and am eternally jealous of his chauffeur driven lifestyle.
