Saturday 27 August 2011

Penultimate Night at the Edinburgh Fringe

I wasn't going to blog again until I was back home down south, but thanks to a couple of comments today I started to think about all sorts of bits and pieces.

Years and years ago, when I was working in the Working Men's Clubs and Night Clubs, audiences and club organisers and owners used to vote for who they thought were the best acts in various categories.

I won quite a few of those awards, usually as either the Speciality Act of the Year, or Entertainer of the Year. One year I was told that I had come tops in 5 sections but as they had a gala night to show all the best acts they could only give me one of them otherwise the show would be over too quickly.

Now why did that jump into my mind? Well, tonight the show sold out and I had a great night on stage doing what I do best, and the audience were rocking with laughter. It's a great feeling.

I knew that I had a lot to do after the show so I nipped out quickly to say 'bye to those who hung back for autographs and photos. So many of them were still on a high and were very complimentary. I had a lot of gags with them and then one guy said that he and his family had been to see quite a lot of comedians at the Fringe, but that none of them got as many laughs as I did. Others in the crowd agreed.

Now that got me to thinking about how we categorise the shows we see. The BBC were the same when I pointed out that after many years of getting people on stage and talking to them, I would like to present a chat show. 'You can't do that. You are the magician.' I did point out that Johnny Carson and Dick Cavett, the two top chat show hosts in America, had been magicians but they wouldn't have it.

Up here of course they have the comedy awards but I know I would never be considered, nor would any other magician, because..... 'You are the magician'.

One comment I gathered along the way was that they laughed at Tommy Cooper when his tricks went wrong and they laugh at me when it goes right!

I wonder if Tommy Cooper would have had a chance...

I went back in and I have crated everything ready to go into the van tomorrow. The final show tomorrow will have some different routines in it and we will be able to get on the road very quickly afterwards. See you in the South!

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