Nunhead

Last night I went to David and Polly from Up The Creek's new gig, with standing room only at The Ivy House in Nunhead. Able support was provided by Kae Kurd's musings on gentrification in Brixton and Katy Lucas' vindictive songs. The evening was kicked off by Pat Cahill, whose offbeat sensibilities I've always been a fan of. His recreation of sabotaging a hippie's drum circle with his lack of rhythm proved a particular highlight. It's a stoney hearted person who can't find something to enjoy in his finale "Tapping On An Old Man's Helmet" where he uses mime to great effect.
Headlining the evening was Jeff Innocent. The 60 year old circuit veteran never fails to entertain with his no-nonsense material about life in East London. It's a superbly well honed persona, capable of making eloquent points and touching on issues surrounding stereotypes before subverting one. After sensitively acknowledging the gender politics issues surrounding the use of a particular word, he proceeds to dance on stage singing "Look at me cunt, look at me cunt" in a cockney music hall fashion. I'm quite aware that the words themselves don't do justice to this, but it's wonderful stuff.

I'm currently sat in a bed in a hotel in Nottingham prior to my gig tonight, an audition for the Big Value Comedy shows in Edinburgh run by Just The Tonic. As show preparations go, it's pretty sedate. Audition type gigs are invariably not a great deal of fun but I hope I'm wrong.

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