Jo Blogs Guide To Bad Gigs, Careers, Work and Jobs.

Years ago I cleaned for an elderly lady of whom I became very fond. I loved her Old Lady Advice and stories.

When she died I missed her very much. We’d become fond of each other. I’d started doing shows and a picture of me from a Brighton Festival brochure was found in her wallet, alongside one of her daughter. She left me £200 to help me pursue a career as a teacher. For the time being though, I did comedy shows and office work which I thoroughly enjoyed. Here it is, mentioned on one of my Lists of Things.

So the shows turned into gigs and I did whatever I could. Here’s one where I was introduced so badly, I could only fail. Somehow, I just about didn’t. (Richard Durrant is a wonderful guitarist, he asked me to do Dolphin – social commentary stand up, wearing a child’s inflatable dolphin as a costume, as a support act to his classical concert in a Church. The vicar overruled it as inappropriate)

But the gig didn’t put me off, you have to have thicker skin than that. We all do. Like this man. Here is someone else’s terrible review from Edinburgh the following year.

My comedy friends and I all have a splendid time, comparing gig stories. One early one was the notorious (but not known to me) beerpit – Up The Creek in Greenwich with Malcolm Hardy. My cat character was heckled by people barking and afterwards Malcolm came on and said ‘well, I’d do ‘er’. My friend resorted to fanny farting into the mic and was asked back. Let that be a lesson… Oh.
And finally, a description of my dream office job.

Anyone out there need a Legal Secretary? Must be agreeable of outfits bordering on parody, have an enormous well stocked stationery cupboard and be flexible regarding expectations and arrival times. The real appeal to me of working in an office is ORGANISING in an unnecessary manner.

Until next time!
Coming up – Barcelona, Paris, Easter and Fashion.