My first comedy stand-up spot.
Well, I did it.
Though I’m not sure why! ("Because it’s there"?) On Thursday night, I arose from my bronchitic sickbed and did a comedy stand-up spot at the "Just Fair Laughs" Fair Trade comedy club in Leeds, and summoning up all the adrenaline rush I could muster, I think I pulled it off. I’ve never thought of myself as a comic writer or performer, so it was amazing to me, hearing people roaring with laughter at stories taken from my emotional life over the past 75 years.
You can make your own mind up, by clicking on
http://jfl.leedscommunity.com/mp3s/16-Mar-06/06-KarlDallas.mp3, where you can hear the full performance, as well as others' spots.
Another performer on the bill gave me a very positive critique: "Keep that bit in", he said, about one particular riff, "it’s really funny". The set wasn’t very political (except in the sense, as I once wrote in the Daily Worker, the most political songs I know are love songs) or religious, except in the sense that I was talking about love, the greatest gift of creation.
This bi-monthly comedy club is enormously successful. There were ninety people packed into Holy Trinity Church café, an absolute sell-out. They’re thinking of putting it on in Bradford, which would be a great attraction for the Priestley.
I’m not sure if I’ll do it again, if only because I don’t know of any similar system on the comedy circuit to folk’s floor spots, but I hope the experience will feed into my regular gigs, which I want to develop further, having taken last year off from performing to concentrate on directing my Into the War Zone play. Speaking of which, though I wasn’t involved and haven’t been informed officially, I gather some of the cast met and decided not to go ahead with the Huddersfield, Halifax and Barnsley bookings. As soon as I’m well enough, I want to go back into the studio to complete the radio version of the play. There’s also some video footage I’d like to edit into some kind of a showreel, though the quality isn’t very good.
I’ve submitted a scene from my Trial of Josef Stalin play for the Page2Stage presentation at the Priestley on April 8, but my main dramatic activity for this year will be a very loose street theatre group I’m hoping to set up under the working title of Guerrilla Broadsides. My idea is that it will be quite improvisational and topical, just four or five people who decide to go to any particular demo or event and play it by ear, presenting poetry, song, mime, dance, whatever. I am hoping to have it up and running in time for the blockade of the Faslane nuclear submarine base in October.
Meanwhile, I’m waiting to see if I’ve got anywhere in the HarperCollins children’s book competition. Since the promise was notification to the winner by the end of this month I assume I haven’t made it. However, now I’ve got some "product" to offer, perhaps another publisher will pick it up. In fact, I’m so pleased with the book, I’ve already started work on a sequel.
My illness prevented me from attending the Topic in its new home very often at the Cock and Bottle, though I gather attendances are very good. I was especially sad to miss Steve Ashley’s 60th birthday bash. However, he’s coming to the Topic on April 27.
On Saturday April 29, Gloria will join me in the ranks of the septuagenarian-and-a-half survivors, so we’re having a joint 150th birthday party on that evening at St Paul’s church hall, Manningham. Anyone who feels like coming along to sing, say, or play, will be more than welcome. It’d be nice to have a ceilidh band, but I don’t think we can afford it. Any offers? Perhaps we could take a collection for Christian Aid or appropriate charity.
Last thing in my diary is the Saltaire Day of Dance on May 13, when I’m running a songwriting workshop from 5pm-6.30pm. There are nearly 46 dance, music and song workshops and the day runs from nine in the morning until 11.15 at night. The event has raised literally thousands for CND, Oxfam, Campaign Against the Arms Trade, and Chernobyl Children’s Project. Details from
louise@dayofdance.co.uk.
Love and peace to all.
