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Tour blog#7: Small but perfectly formed

Monday, March 28th, 2011

I realise I am a day late with this blog post. I blame the hostel in Gothenburg, the size of Sweden and the need for sleep.

Firstly, the hostel – In this day and age, a youth hostel that didn’t have wireless. Can you believe it?! Also the hostel was full of members of CUF which is the Center party’s youth wing. This isn’t an excuse for not blogging, but it did mean that there wasn’t any quiet place to sit and type without being disturbed by some politically active youths away from home. The Center party is traditionally the party of farmers, so they were probably amazed by the electric lights and you know what they say – There ain’t no party like a Center party.

Secondly, as I have already realised (with no small amount of horror) Sweden is a bloody enormous country. So the majority of my touring day is spent sitting behind the wheel of the car. Something I did for roughly 6 hours on Saturday and 4 hours on Sunday.

Thirdly, the need for sleep. Imagine the cumulative effects of staying in the same hostel as partying young farmers with driving for hours and hours… So that’s what I’ve been catching up on.

Anyway – Gothenburg! Sinnet was the venue for our third stop on the DJ Danny tour. It’s a beautiful venue, small, intimate, well run… all we needed was an audience. It’s not that nobody came, but it wasn’t exactly what you might describe as ‘busy’. I got the audience to fill up the front few rows and sit next to each other – Something that is usually very difficult to do. But the few people who were there were really up for it and once we ignored the fact that financially it was a disaster, we actually all had a really good time. I improvised loads as did the second support act Kurt Lightner. Danny did his set and got a great response.He even got a Finn to hold hands with a Swede (neither of whom were drunk)

We left the venue happy and tired… and ready to take a few days off before our Stockholm gig on Wednesday. If you are in Stockholm on the 30th, don’t miss out on the chance to see this genuinely feel good show. I said I wouldn’t do the hard sell on this blog… but here’s a link to buy tickets! http://www.ticnet.se/event/DjDannybiljetter/BOU0330D

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Tags: Comedy, DJ Danny, Gigs, Gothenburg, Lagom, plugs, Stand Up, Stockholm, Sweden
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Tour blog#6: Students and pensioners

Saturday, March 26th, 2011

***To win tickets for the Stockholm show click here***

Tonight’s show is in Gothenburg at Sinnet

Sitting in the Falun youth hostel at 6.30am looking out of the window at the beautiful view. The skies are blues and the air has a special clarity that is inspiring. The last thing I want to do is to head down to Gothenburg… but that’s the way it goes..

Last night’s gig at Arenan in Falun was weird and wonderful. It was about three quarters full and mostly teenagers who were really up for it (apart from one or two Emo kids who were too cool for skool). The night started off in an absolutely hilarious way. My friend Isak who runs the night (and in my opinion is the funniest comedian in Sweden) also works as a director on the TV programme Pensionärjävlar (Fucking pensioners) which is a hidden camera programme where pensioners set up members of the public. It is very funny.

Last night they set up a scenario where an elderly couple came to the club and started heckling the first comedian. Thomas Eriksson, who is a very good actor and comedian was in on it, but the audience had no idea. I was rolling around laughing as Britt, a grey haired, smartly dressed septagenarian stood up and shouted “Say something funny! Or show us your balls!”

We performed – my act went really well and I brought the pensioners into my set a little bit I was only disappointed they didn’t heckle me (I was all ready to show my balls). Danny did about 45 minutes and got the audience dancing away – apart from the two Emo kids, one of whom had green cat eye contact lenses in and had an aloof look throughout.

I liked Falun – even though we will have spent less than 24 hours here. People have always talked about the beauty of Dalarna and although I can’t quite put my finger on what the difference is, it does seem to have a quality that other place in Sweden don’t seem to have. That said, the temperature here is still well into the minuses and the snow is still thick on the ground. At least Gothenburg has already entered the spring.

And so it is that Danny and I must hit the road for tonight’s gig in GBG at Sinnet. See you there perhaps?

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Tags: Comedy, DJ Danny, Falun, Gigs, Gothenburg, Stand Up, Sweden
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Tour blog#4: Heading north

Friday, March 25th, 2011

Just about to hit the road for Falun. Seems a bit nuts to leave this nice spring weather for the frozen tundra of Dalarna. I’ve also just looked at the map again and realised quite how long Sweden is and quite how far it is from one venue to another on this tour. I find myself asking the question again and again, which idiot was it that organised this crazy schedule of dates and venues? And then I realise that I am that idiot.

Next time I organise a national tour, I’m going to make sure that the nation in question is somewhere small and manageable, like Lichtenstein, for example.

So, the car is getting warmed up for today’s 5 hour trip to Falun. I realise that our carbon footprint for this tour is probably the equivalent to a small town in Eastern Europe. I am also made to feel even more guitly about this as I realise that our gig tomorrow in Gothenburg clashes almost exactly with Earth Hour. Along with our large carbon footprint, I guess we are not a show that will appeal to the environmentally conscious. Perhaps we can make a concession and perform without sound or lights… It’s an idea…

Time to stab in and steer and point the car northwards in Falun. See you there tonight at Arenan or if you are sensible and live in Gothenburg, see you at Sinnet on Saturday night.

Time to hit the road!

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Tags: Comedy, DJ Danny, Gigs, Gothenburg, Lagom, LinkÃ¶ping, Stand Up, Sweden
Posted in Comedy, Lagom, Stand Up, Tour 2011 | 1 comment »

Good times in Gothenburg

Saturday, March 12th, 2011

Just back from a few days in Gothenburg. There’s one thing about the city which is so predictable. The weather. Having left the east of Sweden with blue skies and a thaw on the way, it was disheartening to drive towards black clouds that were spewing rain sleet and snow with no regard for the fact that it is already March and that we are all sick of the winter weather.

I was in town to check out the venue where I am on tour later this month with DJ Danny. We’re playing in a place called Sinnet and having now been down there, met the people who run it and seen the stage, I think the gig will be great. I’ll be blogging about the whole tour with Danny here and The Local should be running an article with a ticket giveaway in the next week or so. But in short, the tour starts on the 23rd March in Malmö and ends on April 1st in Lund. We also take in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Falun and Linköping. There’s a Facebook page for Danny on the go here

While I was in Gothenburg, I also had a fab gig at The Dubliner suporting the potty mouthed Canadian Jason Rouse. We had a great crowd of Swedes and non-Swedes and the atmosphere, as always at The Dubliner was tip top.

One more thing I should mention is that I stayed with an American friend Kurt Lightner who is a very talented printmaker. As a gesture of thanks for the use of his sofa – and also because I think his work is great – Here’s a link to his Etsy site. Enjoy (and why not buy!) his work.

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Tags: Comedy, DJ Danny, Gigs, Gothenburg, Malmö, plugs, Stand Up, Sweden
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Tuesday to Tuesday

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

My gigs over the last seven days, Tuesday to Tuesday, couldn’t have been more different and I’ve loved them all.

First off, a week ago, I was asked to support Magnus Betnér in Vingåker. Betnér is one of Sweden’s biggest comedians and Vingåker is one of Sweden’s smallest small towns. The gig took place in the the old wooden cinema, which is apparently the oldest standing cinema in Sweden. I’m not sure if it’s still standing because of its historical value or because nobody has yet got round to letting the people of Vingåker in on all the wonders of the 21st Century. The cinema is run by the local Temperance Society, which meant we had all the orangeade and sparkling water we could handle. Backstage was freezing cold and the food was from the local kebab shop. Glamorous? No. But this was one of the best gigs I have done. The size of the town meant that the audience were buzzing; and Magnus, who once lived in the town, had the audience hanging on his every word. The backstage atmosphere added to the camaraderie and even the guys from the Temperance Society were nice blokes. The secret behind Vingåker’s club is a young guy called Henrik Källman who has a passion for stand up. The night was reviewed here.

Thursday night was the regular club night at Café M. I hadn’t really gone overboard on advertising the night as I just hadn’t had time over September. However, it seems that the club has finally made an impact on the cultural subconscious of Linköping as there was standing room only by quarter to seven. By five-to we had to stop letting people in. The show was pretty good too with all the comedians delivering great sets. Hopefully similiar numbers will turn up next time on the 28th October and also on Wednesday 20th when I am putting on the cult British comedian Paul Foot (link here). I’m also putting him on in Stockholm (link) on the 23rd and 24th October. (These shows are all in English)

Finally, last night was a business gig in Gothenburg in the atrium of the Radisson Blu under a piece of very strange modern art that resembled a broken umbrella. The audience, attending a conference on simulation software, were a cheerful mix of Scandinavians, French, British and at least one American. The gig was a version of my ‘crash course on Sweden’ and it went down a storm, especially with the Danes who seem to take extra pleasure in laughing at the Swedes. Compared to my night at Vingåker cinema, I was fed well and invited to join the delegates for their creme brulee and coffee. Accommodation was at the hotel where I indulged in the fantasy that I had a proper job. And no, I didn’t steal the towels, despite being tempted.

All three gigs were an adventure and I wouldn’t change a thing about any of them. Next week I’m back on the road to Gothenburg – This time to play Musikens Hus. I’ll be staying on a friend’s floor and eating kebab. I’ll be lucky if he even offers me a towel to steal.

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Tags: Betnér, Comedy, Corporate, Gigs, Gothenburg, LinkÃ¶ping, plugs, Stand Up, Sweden
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Happy Shiny Linköping?

Sunday, August 22nd, 2010

I’m back in Linköping and the strangest thing has happenened. Linköping has become cool. In the month we were away it seems to have transformed from a negative, nay-saying, conservative town to a funky, happening city where stuff goes on.

I’m still suspect that we may have misread the map and ended up in a different country, or that somebody slipped something in my drink and these are just hallucinatory side effects, or that aliens landed and replaced the entire population with happy, shiny versions of the former inhabitants, who now have the added ability to say ‘YES!’ and have fun.

This weekend was Linköpings Stadsfest with fairgrounds, children’s activities, live music on several stages, including a huge stage featuring some of Sweden’s best bands. The streets were abuzz, and while it was no Spanish fiesta or Notting Hill Carnival, it was certainly a step in the right direction. Hats off to Linköping, it really feels like a corner has been turned.

I managed to get somewhere near the thick of it as I was asked to co-host a live broadcast on the local channel 24Corren. I did two shows as sidekick to regular presenter Anna Lindberg, where we interviewed local candidates who are standing for the local kommun. My role was to play a sort of idiot-savant (naturally) and ask the stupid questions that no-one dare ask. The idea was to throw the politicians off their guard with a dumb question from a dumb foriegner and then follow it up with a a more cutting attack. I’ll be honest – with the combination of live broadcast and politics, I was slightly nervous.

The first broadcast went much better, partly because the politicians (V, MP, F and KD) we were talking to were too ensconced in ‘the party line’ to realise that I was playing with them. I got in a few nice shots at each of the parties but I was most proud of a line asking the Christian Democrat candidate which party he thought God was in… My suggestion was that God was a Social Democrat, as whenever Mona Sahlin appears on TV everyone screams ‘Oh God!’.

The next programme was a lot harder as the three politicians (C, S and M) interviewed were all fantastic, coherent speakers who all seemed to care passionately about the city and their politics on a personal and philosophical level. To be honest, I’d be happy with any of the three of them in power regardless of their political colours. I tried to niggle Muharrem Demirok about his comparison of Linköping with Barcelona, which two months ago seemed hilarious. In the light of his eloquent defence of the statement and the ongoing stadsfest I can sort of see his point.

On the whole, I am happy with broadcasts. These things are all about finding your feet so I’m going to pitch a couple of ideas to expand upon this ‘naive’ character as I think I could expand upon it quite a bit in another format. Watch this space.

The stand up club leaps into action next week (Thursday 26/8) at Café M with Gothenburg genius Martin Krantz as the headline act. I’m only going to run it once a month over the autumn, but the good news is that I am talking to some big players about taking it to a bigger better venue with bigger better acts at the beginning of 2011. In the meantime, if you are in Linköping, come along on Thursday!

One last thing… I’ve finally got meself a smart phone, so will spend hours trying to come up with witty and amusing Tweets. If you want to follow me, I can be found at 110percentlagom

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Tags: Comedy, Gigs, Gothenburg, LinkÃ¶ping, Stand Up
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Dog Days and Showboats

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

The summer rolls on and the lazy days of a dormant Sweden are a joy, albeit a sweaty joy. Everything I need to do is based on how it can be tied in with a camping trip, a day out or a swim in a lake. I was in Stockholm last week to talk to Radio Sweden about Svengelska (link to programme later in the week) which took about an hour. The rest of the day, I spent as a tourist. Next week I’ve got a gig in Gothenburg – and babysitters permitting, this will turn into a romantic two day trip on the west coast.

But last night, I finally found my Swedish idyll. The Sweden that you dream of, that Julie’s Nordic Island lives, the Sweden of isolation, forests, lakes and wilderness.

My old mucker Palle took me out on his boat. It was a small plastic thing with an outboard motor from 1976 that sat very low on the water. A luxury yacht it was not, but it was boat enough to take me, Palle and two kids out to a beach that was only accessible from the water. We swam, chatted, identified trees and birds and failed to catch any fish. I have caught a glimpse of heaven and I want to see more.

As a result I am more than a little jealous of the crazy antics of Johan Pettersson, who is attempting to row much of the Göta Canal in an inflatable rubber dinghy (including navigating lake Roxen). His aim is to get to Motala in time for the premiere of ‘Showboat’ where he’s performing a small role. So it’s a publicity stunt, but it’s also in the spirit of the likes of Thor Heyerdahl, the kind of adventurer that the modern world needs more of, prepared to follow a dream, however irrational. I’ve met Johan a couple of times (he is a theatre ‘apa’ from Norrköping) and he’s a nice guy so I can only wish him the best of luck. You can find out more on his blog – windyseglen.

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Tags: Animals, Blogging, Comedy, Gigs, Gothenburg, Motala, NorrkÃ¶ping, radio, Stand Up, Stockholm, Sweden
Posted in Lagom, LinkÃ¶ping, Stand Up | 1 comment »

Welcome to the stage… Mahatma Gandhi!

Friday, June 11th, 2010

I’m sitting on the bus back from Gothenburg. I’m tired, sweaty, thirsty, slightly hungover.. but I feel great. Last night I headlined at The Dubliner with Wisecrackers and went down a storm. The club was absolutely packed with a mix of nationalities who were all in a great mood. I was bought several drinks after the show and it looks as though I will have got another couple of gigs from the night. So sitting on a sweaty bus the day after the night before is no great shakes.

I knew most of the other comedians on the bill, but it was the first time I’d met the MC, Martin. My name was on the list as Ben K (full name, Ben Kersley) and in the heat of the moment of introducing me he confused me with Gandhi actor Ben Kingsley. It’s not the first time this has happened in my life, but the first time I’ve been introduced onstage as the great man. There was a half second where the audience thought.. He’s grown, his hair’s back he looks younger… Is this really the man whose Ariel caused such a stir at The National Theatre?

So feeling good. Magnus Betnér at Sagateatern in Linköping tomorrow. Some tickets still available for non football fans.

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Tags: Betnér, Comedy, Gigs, Gothenburg, LinkÃ¶ping, Stand Up
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The Pitch

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

A windy picture outside SVT

Meeting people in the media world it is filled with subtexts, bluffs and semi truths. Yesterday at SVT in Gothenburg was no different. They had the home advantage of the imposingly massive modern glass and steel structure that sits on the water’s edge opposite the city, I countered by dropping in comparisons with the BBC. It was all about the logos: He drank his coffee from an NBC mug. I had a pen lifted from Studiefrämjandet, where I give evening classes. It was clear SVT had the upper hand.

Luckily, this male media posturing was not necessary as it soon became clear that the guy we were meeting, the commissioning editor for drama at SVT Gothenburg, was a very nice chap. He gave us a whole hour and we chatted about the sitcom idea, talked about character and plot development and episode and series arcs. We laughed… which is a good sign when talking comedy and he uttered variations of the phrase “Verkligen, jag tycker att det är en rolig idé” several times.

Needless to say, SVT Gothenburg don’t currently have a slot for a 12 part half hour sitcom… but although that is the case today, commissioning briefs tend to change, so it’s always worth being in their mind when they talk about what to make with our licence fees. The main thing is that he is behind the idea and encouraged us to take it to the big players in Stockholm – Jarowski, Tre Vänner and Baluba – and getting through the doors of these giants is always much easier with a ‘Godkänd’ from a commissioning editor (even one who is not actually going to commission it).

So, onwards and upwards….

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Tags: Comedy, Gothenburg, sitcom
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