I’ve been feeling ill since Thursday with a bit of a cough. Lateral flow tests for Covid were negative, so I did a PCR test this afternoon to double check and should get a result tomorrow. I feel like I’m getting better now anyway, but if it turns out to be bat AIDS I will have to self-isolate until next weekend.
Probably a good thing I only had one gig booked for the coming week. I’m going to stay in and work on my screenplay for Portal to 9/11. Here’s an exclusive preview:
I have some good media recommendations below the details of the gig. Also some news of some good opportunities for comedians…
Tuesday 9 November 7:30pm - Double Bubble, Dalston
I will be doing this as long as the PCR comes back negative and I feel OK. Great night with an audience voting element. If I have to cancel this, I’ll send out an update by email and edit this post.
Victoria Dalston pub, 451 Queensbridge Rd, London E8 3AS
Recommended media
I was at the recording of Nina Conti’s Soho Theatre Live episode (Amazon Prime Video) a few months ago - maybe you can see the back of my head. She has the monkey in this, but also does ventriloquism using the audience as dummies with the aid of special masks.
Stephen Merchant’s new sitcom The Outlaws (iPlayer) is excellent. Turns out that he was the reason why The Office and Extras were good, and Ricky Gervais was just along for the ride.
The new Wes Anderson film The French Dispatch has had lukewarm reviews, but I really enjoyed it. The problem with Wes Anderson’s earlier films - like The Royal Tenenbaums and The Darjeeling Limited - is that they’re about spoiled rich people having rich people problems in sumptuous surroundings. His borderline twee aesthetic works so much better when it’s set in the past (like The Grand Budapest Hotel) or in a fantastical world (like Fantastic Mr Fox or Isle of Dogs). The French Dispatch is set both in the past and in a fantastical world. It takes place in a crazy cartoonish version of 50s/60s France, where for some reason a magazine that seems a lot like the New Yorker is based in a town called Ennui. The film portrays France as realistically as The Simpsons portrays small town America, and at times it’s as dense with jokes as a Simpsons episode - in fact, at one point there’s an animated chase sequence with a sight gag that feels a lot like something from golden age Simpsons. It doesn’t have the pathos of Grand Budapest, it’s just a fun, silly film.
Series 2 of Dave is finally on iPlayer. Haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, but the first series was hilarious.
For comedians
The BBC is running a load of online lectures next week on the theme of ‘Story’ called Production Unlocked. The Wednesday 10 November lectures are about comedy and will feature a talk from Richard Herring and Isy Suttie. It’s free to register. They don’t say if you can ask questions or if you can watch a recording after the fact, but seems worth signing up anyway. Richard Herring has an interest in time travel, so I’m hoping he can help me break the second act of Portal to 9/11.
On Saturday 20 November, Groovie Comedy is offering free courses for comedians: an MC Skills course with Logan Murray, and Anxiety Management and Performance/Stage Presence with Dr Audrey Tang. I think these people know what they’re talking about and I will be doing all the courses. Very limited spots available on a first come, first served basis - you have to book using GigGag via those links.
That’s everything. Next week I will have a lot more gig dates or maybe I will be dead of Covid. Either is fine.