Sometimes, just sometimes, things work out really really well. And Sunday night’s show in Stockholm was one of those times.
The day started in Linköping, being picked up by Palle’s son, Johannes who then drove at breakneck speed up the E4 to the capital. I was not entirely sure we would make it there in one piece as on more than one occasion Johannes, while tailgating in the fast lane at 160kph, would fully turn his head to the back seat and inform me that I was confusing fast driving with dangerous driving. Palle sat in the front, with a look that (underneath the fear) said ‘Don’t think I haven’t told him all this before…’
Incredibly, we made it and met everyone at the theatre – Bisse (my sitcom co-writer, and the evening’s ticket ripper), Garry (Sound and lights) and Louis (wardrobe and warm up act). I set up my props, then began the business of warming up backstage (i.e. pacing about nervously).
Louis came on first and charmed the audience by inviting them to shower him in kisses during the ‘kisspaus’, then Palle strutted his stuff. Then it was me… Stepping onstage is like diving off a cliff… there’s no going back, but also, you don’t know what temperature the water is, how deep it will be or if your shorts will stay on (perhaps I’m taking the metaphor too far). On Sunday, I stepped out to a full front row of smiling faces, behind them, the rest of the theatre was pretty much full and they seemed up for it… and indeed they were.
Performing in a theatre (as opposed to a club) you have so much more freedom with subtle looks and nods and Sunday’s audience were with me all the way. If that was not enough then my adlibbing head was firmly on and fate dealt me an excellent hand…. Here’s just a few that I was gifted … First, the Volvo 440 book I have onset fell over …. “unreliable crap. I should replace it with a Saab”, then when I spoke to the audience, there was someone called Gunnar – and a conversation I had had long ago in Birmingham resurfaced about how being called Gunnar in the Midlands would be a nightmare….. “Will you tell me your name? I’m Gunnar (gonna). Tell me your name then! I’m Gunnar!”. Then the other person I picked out from the audience was called Franz (pronounced France)… “I’ve never performed to a whole country before” . I couldn’t have planted better named audience members.
I was so pleased with the night and it seems that the audience were too as I got an encore. No flowers or knickers thrown onstage, but it was an encore nonetheless.
Job done and a feeling of great relief… Although the tour’s over, I’ve still got three more shows this week – A corporate job tonight in Linköping, a support slot at the Skandia in Norrköping tomorrow and a spot at Laughs At The Liffey on Thursday. What a week.
……
Blogpost over, but I thought I would plug my friends’ short film here too. If you have 5 minutes watch A Shot At Love filmed as part of the Smoke and Mirrors film competition in London
