An Indian a Jamaican and a Yorkshireman go into a bar, gig No8

With Verve and funhouse comedy done this week already Thursday 12th April I was booked to the Lamp Tavern in Dudley, an open mic night where I would be allowed up to 10 mins to try my stuff. I had spent most of the week worrying about the Nottingham night, I want to do well in gong shows so this night I hadn’t even thought about, I was going to do the exact same set as I did at Verve comedy cellar on Tuesday and hopefully learn how to trim it down a little and add some audience interaction at some point (its my biggest weakness that I am just talking at them rather than to them and although I need to work on everything that is what needs most work)
I borrowed Vikki’s car for this journey (thanks Vik) and left Leeds at 2.30pm, I was going to make a stop in Tamworth to see my Aunty as, if I was going to be in the Midlands it’s always nice to stop in and get fed!!
After a lovely time with my aunty it reached 6.30pm and time for me to move on from Tamworth to Dudley another 45 min drive away.

I arrived to see the Lamp Tavern on a junction, at the back was a marquee where I assume they hold events then as I walked around the marquee from the car park I saw there was a function room to the back of the pub where the comedy was held. I was greeted at the door by organiser Phillip McCullough, he welcomed me and got me a free drink then explained the night, he also wanted to know how long I’ll be doing, I mis heard this as how long have you been doing so I replied 7 gigs so far which clearly made no sense . Phillip was honest and frank in his response to that, ‘we don’t really care about how long or short your career is there is little progression offered here, just make them laugh is all I ask’ a fair and honest response from a guy who clearly tells it like it is and I liked that. I ordered my now staple pre comedy Red Bull and sat with 2 other comics who were performing, the brilliant Mickey Sharma who would be headlining and a character act Danny Razzle played by Matt Davies both from the Midlands area. We chatted about learning your material to the point where you know every syllable and how to deliver it and self belief, well Mickey talked to us and we listened, he knows what he’s talking about. Another act arrived, Helen from Wolverhampton (I think her name was Helen I feel bad as I cant remember) but it seemed no other acts were going to turn up….why??? Well one had a good reason, a guy I gigged with in Nottingham the night before had earlier that day lost his finger in an accident at the gym!! And it seemed he had to go to hospital but the others?? I don’t get it, I would walk to Dudley from Leeds or to anywhere for stage time, I would never book in and then not go unless circumstances (as with fingerless Nick) were out of my control but then I’d ring immediately (and still try get there) anyway moan over it was time for the show.
I was due on 1st for the second night in a row, it was fine this time I felt calm and ready, perhaps a result of doing 3 nights on the bounce.
Phillip during his MC routine mocked carrot trousers, v neck t shirts and pumps style of dress on men, he was having a friendly dig at a regular but I was wearing this exact ensemble.. Doh!!!
I arrived on stage my stop watch set so I didn’t exceed the 10 mins allotted and immediately drew audience attention to my clothes… giggles began to move around the room ’well it’s a good start’ I said as opening line… not sure what I meant but they laughed.  I then talked about my usual stuff, the upbringing in Otley and my misadventures in sex, it’s a topic that will not win me any prizes for originality but it will always make certain people laugh. It was going well, I missed a few jokes again but I was getting a good response from a nice room, I moved on to my Dublin incident story, the tuck shop aside didn’t seem to work so I’ll be looking out for other audience responses to that in future but the incident itself was well received and I was enjoying myself. I had got through the set a bit quickly due to missing the earlier jokes so I told another brief story abut being arrested and left the stage.

Next up was the Lady from Wolverhampton, she was doing her 12th show she told me but it seems she had told Phillip it was her 1st (her 1st in Dudley she meant) she like me relied on her roots, her family is of Jamaican decent and she flipped from Wolves to Jamaican accent impersonating the stereotyped Jamaican lady and the audience liked it. Her best part was at the end tho as she had got in a fight she had tried hard to avoid and in the end just went for it, removing her hair (it was not at all clear it was a wig so great surprise) to show a shaven head/ short haircut.

Next on was Danny Razzle, a creepy character who makes light of shitting himself, stabbing people and creeping women out. He had a recurring theme where he woke up next day with Boy George or Elton john that was funny but the room was predominantly women and he struggled to keep momentum, something he knew and he cut short  his act  by  couple of mins, the key here was he didn’t totally die but he recognised that the audience had not quite understood the act so he did the right thing I guess in coming off early.

There was a break then the final act was going to do 35 mins to fill the missing slots time up.. And what a treat.
Mickey Sharma a western born Indian told stories of visiting India, beat boxed Indian themed lullaby’s and talked of Indian sex life vs. western and the pro’s and cons of having a white girlfriend.
He glided through his set knowing every word of it off by heart even the new stuff he was here to test.
He had a mixture of topical jokes, knob gags and just plain silliness that all made his personality endearing.
I watched and thought what can I learn from this performance, well many things really, here is a guy who has gone pro after 3 years doing opens and now he has a great presence. Awesome to watch.

After the gig we all did the add on face book thing and Mickey offered a little more advice before it was time for me to head back.
The long drive back to Leeds not helped by miles of roadwork’s but I didn’t mind, I had had an awesome night at Lamp Tavern and would love to return again should I be welcome.

Up next Bar 1:22 Huddersfield