Rabbit in the Headlights

I played a gig in Brighton last night that reminded me (if reminder were needed) of how much I love doing stand-up comedy.  The gig is called Rabbit in the Headlights, and it's upstairs at a busy pub not far from Brighton Pier.  I was due to do the gig just before Christmas, but one audience member turned up and so it got cancelled.  This night was better - the small venue (which is also used for fringe-type drama productions) was completely sold out with people who were in the mood to laugh.

I was staying about a mile from the venue, which necessitated a walk along the seafront in some of the fiercest winds I have ever experienced.  Going there was exhilarating: I was virtually blown all the way.  Walking back into the path of the wind was a different story.  Whenever I crossed a side street I had to cling to a lamppost or similar so as not to get blown away.

Anyway, back to the gig.  I may not have said this before, but stand-up comedy is one of the friendliest and most sociable businesses I have ever experienced.  I have met very few arsey comedians.  Normally everyone's really friendly, and you see some of the same faces you've seen before, and backstage the talk is all of material and gigs, and mutual friends - and it's great fun.  Especially when there is a backstage... often that means just standing around at the back of the pub.  Last night, there was a dressing room.  Well, upstairs and along a very narrow corridor there was a room with a piece of paper on the door that said "dressing room".  The room was a small bathroom with some chairs in it.  So, the comics sat around in a bathroom, chewing the fat, shooting the breeze.

One drawback of a sell-out gig is that you can't get in to see the other acts.  But upstairs in our bathroom we could hear gales of laughter.  I was on in the second half, and stood outside the door to the venue listening to the compere and the guy on before me, getting a feel for the "room" (as we call it).

And they were brilliant - a bunch of women from Haywards Heath nearly exploded with laughter.  They were one of the best audiences I've had in ages, and they loved me.  It was such a joy to stand on stage and feel the waves of laughter and love.  Wonderful, wonderful gig.  And I got some money for expenses - RESULT!