Well this is going to be my last blog on the subject and experience of Edinburgh. It's Friday 27th August, I've done 48 shows plus couple of guest / open spots a week at other shows. I'm tired and missing my life. Don't get me wrong. I've enjoyed the experience, it's just so intense. I was walking home the other afternoon, exhausted when I passed a fellow comic (Steve Aruni) going out to perform. As he passed me in the street he just look at me and said “Ground-Hog Day!” and walked passed. I think that sums up the experience. Everyday without exception, doing the same things without a break or variation. That's the hardest bit to get used to.
As I've mentioned before the highlight of my show has been the midnight shows. It seemed very one was better than the last, until two nights ago. I was Mc'ing and set the room up, which wasn't hard, as they were totally up for it. The first ACT came on and decided to not bother doing any material and just re-MC the crowd. As if this wasn't bad enough, the next ACT decide to re-MC, the re-MC'd crowd. I was fucking livid! By now the audience had 35 minutes of banter with the same people being talked to over and over again. Nightmare! At the break, half the crowd left...
Thanks 'League of MC's'. You are my hero's!
To make matters worse, this was the only night the influential magazine 'Three Weeks' decided to review the show. We've have 20 brilliant ones and they review this one!
As I'm sure you can imagine, the review wasn't great (2 stars) and we got a-bit of a slagging.
Here's what they said:
Late 'N' Free
Various Guests and Hosted By Frank Cassidy and Damian Kingsley
Late night comedy shows must strike a balance between being relaxed and remaining professional; 'Late 'N' Free' got that balance wrong. It had an odd structure: three short sets, a break and then two long ones; why not just three followed by a headline? The break merely served as an opportunity to leave. The greatest pitfall was that the first two acts relied too heavily on audience interaction (mostly interaction with one particular audience member), and those two supplied very little material. The third act was the only one to utilise some of the comedian's own work and was funny, but by then it was too late. The crowd struggled through the two head-liners and left.
Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 5 - 29 Aug, 12.00am (1.30am), free, fpp 86.
tw rating 2/5
[ajb]
Anyway, I don't care. I'm proud of the show and it's just bad luck that they came to that one.
Tomorrow is Saturday, the last Saturday of the Fringe and I'm really excited because my pregnant girlfriend Hilary is coming up for the weekend. I've missed her terribly.
Thanks for reading my blog, I hope it's been fun to follow this.
See you all back in London
Love
Frank
Friday 27 August 2010
Saturday 21 August 2010
Week #2 Carbon-Neutral Venues and Glasgow-Kisses
Hey there!
It's been a few days since my last attempt to blog, so I guess it's apparent I've been busy. The shows are going well, I'm getting about 20-30 most week days and 30-40 at weekends.
The midnight is going great too. We get about 70 in and a lot of repeat visitors.
The story everyone is talking about is about a comic called David Whitney. David is a lovely bloke and I've gigged with him a couple of times earlier in the week. On Thursday he was doing a late night spot and ended up getting arrested for head-butting a heckler.
As I so you can imagine this story has become comedy gossip and I think to-date I've heard 3 different versions. What seems to have happened was that he beat this guy (verbally) on stage and got him to shut-up. When he left the stage, the guy grab him from behind and squared up to him, face to face, to continue the abuse. David just had enough and give him a Glasgow-Kiss. The police were called and the rest is history.
It wasn't the best way to behave, but I've got to say I can completely understand. Hecklers like this guy are ass-holes who ruin everyone's night out. If there wasn't a comedy show on he'd probably be down at the cinema talking loudly or driving through a residential area in his shitty car with bad music pouring out of every window.
Maybe this will send a message to all other hecklers. Maybe David Whitney will become so scary they will build a spooky mythology around him, sort of a Freddy Kruger for Hecklers: One, Two, Whitney's coming for you, three, four, Whitney's at the door, etc.
I did an open-spot this week in a Carbon-Neutral venue. Carbon-Neutral venue? Yes, that means there is no microphone and they use special light-bulbs as opposed to normal spotlights.
Unfortunately, the room was so hot they had to put a great big fuck-off oscillating fan on to cool everyone down. Carbon-Neutral indeed!
I've seen two shows this week:
Alun Cochrane (Jokes, Life and Jokes About Life)Alun is great: Charming and naturally likeable. A bit low key and middle of the road for me, but I did enjoy the show. In this he has a tom-bowler, and picks out random jokes and tells stories around them.
Richard Herring (Christ on a Bike)I really like Richard and overall liked the show. I didn't like the central message: Jesus is OK, Organised Religion is not. I could not separate the two. Richard is on top form throughout the show though.
Anyway, I'll try and blog again sooner.
Love
Frank
It's been a few days since my last attempt to blog, so I guess it's apparent I've been busy. The shows are going well, I'm getting about 20-30 most week days and 30-40 at weekends.
The midnight is going great too. We get about 70 in and a lot of repeat visitors.
The story everyone is talking about is about a comic called David Whitney. David is a lovely bloke and I've gigged with him a couple of times earlier in the week. On Thursday he was doing a late night spot and ended up getting arrested for head-butting a heckler.
As I so you can imagine this story has become comedy gossip and I think to-date I've heard 3 different versions. What seems to have happened was that he beat this guy (verbally) on stage and got him to shut-up. When he left the stage, the guy grab him from behind and squared up to him, face to face, to continue the abuse. David just had enough and give him a Glasgow-Kiss. The police were called and the rest is history.
It wasn't the best way to behave, but I've got to say I can completely understand. Hecklers like this guy are ass-holes who ruin everyone's night out. If there wasn't a comedy show on he'd probably be down at the cinema talking loudly or driving through a residential area in his shitty car with bad music pouring out of every window.
Maybe this will send a message to all other hecklers. Maybe David Whitney will become so scary they will build a spooky mythology around him, sort of a Freddy Kruger for Hecklers: One, Two, Whitney's coming for you, three, four, Whitney's at the door, etc.
I did an open-spot this week in a Carbon-Neutral venue. Carbon-Neutral venue? Yes, that means there is no microphone and they use special light-bulbs as opposed to normal spotlights.
Unfortunately, the room was so hot they had to put a great big fuck-off oscillating fan on to cool everyone down. Carbon-Neutral indeed!
I've seen two shows this week:
Alun Cochrane (Jokes, Life and Jokes About Life)Alun is great: Charming and naturally likeable. A bit low key and middle of the road for me, but I did enjoy the show. In this he has a tom-bowler, and picks out random jokes and tells stories around them.
Richard Herring (Christ on a Bike)I really like Richard and overall liked the show. I didn't like the central message: Jesus is OK, Organised Religion is not. I could not separate the two. Richard is on top form throughout the show though.
Anyway, I'll try and blog again sooner.
Love
Frank
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Wednesday 11 August 2010
Week #1 and I'm still 'standing'
Well it's been a week now and I've just starting to make sense this.
It's been hard getting used to the (very) late nights but I think I'm on top of it now. For the first five nights myself and Damian both did the midnight show (Late n Free). This was exhausting for both of us and as we were getting home at 4pm+, there were several daytime commitment to honour: Drinking is not a good idea!
The club itself (Espionage) is probably one of the roughest nightclubs in Edinburgh. The crowd (typically 60-70 people) are well-oiled and volatile. There's a small crowd of regulars building up. Which it nice!
We had a glass thrown at the staff on one evening. Luckily no one was hurt and the Bouncers appeared and dragged the offenders away for I imagine a right-good kicking outside.
As an MC this crowd works well for me and I'm feeling more natural on stage there than my own GIG (DCS – Review). Last night, I had to feel in for about 5 minute in the middle of the show and just started telling a story about seeing a drunk girl staggering around Edinburgh. They absolutely loved it! This was a revelation to me, I've never thought my random thoughts and feelings would be of such interest. Based on this I'm going to try and engineer more stories and see were this takes me.
DCS – Review is doing OK, but not great. I've have a couple of mixed evenings. Typically I'm getting 20 people (¾ full) which is good for an early evening GIG. I'm going to put some more effort into flyering and see if I can build this up at bit.
So far, I've been out to see a couple of (paid) shows:
Anyway I'm off to do it all again!
Love
Frank
It's been hard getting used to the (very) late nights but I think I'm on top of it now. For the first five nights myself and Damian both did the midnight show (Late n Free). This was exhausting for both of us and as we were getting home at 4pm+, there were several daytime commitment to honour: Drinking is not a good idea!
The club itself (Espionage) is probably one of the roughest nightclubs in Edinburgh. The crowd (typically 60-70 people) are well-oiled and volatile. There's a small crowd of regulars building up. Which it nice!
We had a glass thrown at the staff on one evening. Luckily no one was hurt and the Bouncers appeared and dragged the offenders away for I imagine a right-good kicking outside.
As an MC this crowd works well for me and I'm feeling more natural on stage there than my own GIG (DCS – Review). Last night, I had to feel in for about 5 minute in the middle of the show and just started telling a story about seeing a drunk girl staggering around Edinburgh. They absolutely loved it! This was a revelation to me, I've never thought my random thoughts and feelings would be of such interest. Based on this I'm going to try and engineer more stories and see were this takes me.
DCS – Review is doing OK, but not great. I've have a couple of mixed evenings. Typically I'm getting 20 people (¾ full) which is good for an early evening GIG. I'm going to put some more effort into flyering and see if I can build this up at bit.
So far, I've been out to see a couple of (paid) shows:
- Jim Jefferies – I enjoyed this, but it was very much corporate comedy. Jim's at the top of his game and I'm not complaining. It's just not my thing.
- Terry Alderton – This is probably one of the best gigs I've ever seen. I have never witnessed someone work at room so successfully before, I was in absolute awe.
Anyway I'm off to do it all again!
Love
Frank
Friday 6 August 2010
Finally, it's GIG time
Well I did my first two gigs yesterday.
The first one (The Dead Comedian's Socks – Edinburgh Review, 7:20pm) was passable. I felt is was awkward for a few reasons:
I was relieved when it was over and felt a little dishearten but glad the process had stated. I think coming up to Edinburgh a day and a half early had the unexpected result of making me feel impatient and frustrated.
Later the even I went with Damian Kingsley to our joint gig (Late n Free, midnight+) and it couldn't have gone better. I MC'd and sixty plus people turned up all in party mode. Suddenly it was effortless and an absolute joy to preform. I got lots of great compliments for the crowd.
ACTS where: Lasse (again), Mark Simmons, Andrew O'Doyle, Damain and we closed with Nathon Caton. Every act was strong. Members of the audience actually came up to us and asked for spare flyers to give the theirs mates! We took this as a very good sign.
Doing it again tonight
Frank
The first one (The Dead Comedian's Socks – Edinburgh Review, 7:20pm) was passable. I felt is was awkward for a few reasons:
- The microphone rig at the Jekyll & Hyde is terrible (all the acts have been complaining about it)
- I was not on form, anxious and I think it showed.
- The audience were only 11 people.
I was relieved when it was over and felt a little dishearten but glad the process had stated. I think coming up to Edinburgh a day and a half early had the unexpected result of making me feel impatient and frustrated.
Later the even I went with Damian Kingsley to our joint gig (Late n Free, midnight+) and it couldn't have gone better. I MC'd and sixty plus people turned up all in party mode. Suddenly it was effortless and an absolute joy to preform. I got lots of great compliments for the crowd.
ACTS where: Lasse (again), Mark Simmons, Andrew O'Doyle, Damain and we closed with Nathon Caton. Every act was strong. Members of the audience actually came up to us and asked for spare flyers to give the theirs mates! We took this as a very good sign.
Doing it again tonight
Frank
Wednesday 4 August 2010
Fear and Lothing in Edinburgh
Hey there! I'm Frank and this is my 1st attempt to do a blog.
I'm a stand-up comedian and MC and this is my 3rd year on the London comedy scene.
This year I've decided to go full force into the Edinburgh Festival and do the whole month which means I'll be gigging loads, meeting interesting people and having lots of adventures.
With this in mind, I thought I'd try and capture what's happening by blogging, posting videos / pictures and generally trying to make sense of the whole experience via this medium, and by 'micro-blogging' on twitter and facebook.
In principle this blog is for myself so that I'd don't forget anything when I'm back in London, but I've decided to make it public so friends, family-members and complete strangers can follow it, and see if the experience is fun, engaging or just tedious.
I touch-down in Edinburgh on 3rd August. I have two shows I'm doing (hosting) on the free fringe: The Dead Comedian's Socks – Edinburgh Review and Late n Free. Both of these shows run from Thursday 5th August to Sunday 29th August. I suppose I should briefly explain what these are:
The Dead Comedian's Socks – Edinburgh ReviewThe Crypt - Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde - 7:20 (1 hour)This show I am running on my own. It's a compilation show featuring different acts each day. I'll be the MC for the majority over it's run, but as I get my material and stand-up act up to-steam, I'll headline a few shows and get someone else to MC. This is the companion show to the standard London one I run in Dirty Dicks and will feature lots of the acts I regally book.
Late n FreePravda Room – Laughing Horse @ Espionage - Midnight+I am co-hosting this show with fellow comedian Damian Kingsley. It's a midnight show which will attract a rowdy, well-oiled audience which should make for a challenging GIG. Myself and Damain will alternate which days we MC on.
Again this is another compilation show, but due to the time and the nature of the audience It will has an 'anything' goes, unplanned element to it.
Up till now I've had moderate success as a comic and have found myself to be a natural at MC'ing. This has been good and bad. Good as I get to be in the moment with an audience (which I love), and bad as I always put off going out gigging with material. This is now going to change!
I'm going to record the experience (positive or negative) of working material into a set, and trying to get recognition for that. So I hope this is going to be an interesting adventure.
So: 'Here's to Edinburgh 2010!'
My Edinburgh aims summarised:
Frank
I'm a stand-up comedian and MC and this is my 3rd year on the London comedy scene.
This year I've decided to go full force into the Edinburgh Festival and do the whole month which means I'll be gigging loads, meeting interesting people and having lots of adventures.
With this in mind, I thought I'd try and capture what's happening by blogging, posting videos / pictures and generally trying to make sense of the whole experience via this medium, and by 'micro-blogging' on twitter and facebook.
In principle this blog is for myself so that I'd don't forget anything when I'm back in London, but I've decided to make it public so friends, family-members and complete strangers can follow it, and see if the experience is fun, engaging or just tedious.
I touch-down in Edinburgh on 3rd August. I have two shows I'm doing (hosting) on the free fringe: The Dead Comedian's Socks – Edinburgh Review and Late n Free. Both of these shows run from Thursday 5th August to Sunday 29th August. I suppose I should briefly explain what these are:
The Dead Comedian's Socks – Edinburgh ReviewThe Crypt - Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde - 7:20 (1 hour)This show I am running on my own. It's a compilation show featuring different acts each day. I'll be the MC for the majority over it's run, but as I get my material and stand-up act up to-steam, I'll headline a few shows and get someone else to MC. This is the companion show to the standard London one I run in Dirty Dicks and will feature lots of the acts I regally book.
Late n FreePravda Room – Laughing Horse @ Espionage - Midnight+I am co-hosting this show with fellow comedian Damian Kingsley. It's a midnight show which will attract a rowdy, well-oiled audience which should make for a challenging GIG. Myself and Damain will alternate which days we MC on.
Again this is another compilation show, but due to the time and the nature of the audience It will has an 'anything' goes, unplanned element to it.
Up till now I've had moderate success as a comic and have found myself to be a natural at MC'ing. This has been good and bad. Good as I get to be in the moment with an audience (which I love), and bad as I always put off going out gigging with material. This is now going to change!
I'm going to record the experience (positive or negative) of working material into a set, and trying to get recognition for that. So I hope this is going to be an interesting adventure.
So: 'Here's to Edinburgh 2010!'
My Edinburgh aims summarised:
- Lots of Gigging time
- Built a decent 10 minute set out of my mostly untested material
- Network and get connected
- Have fun
Frank
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