Comedy: So You Think You're Funny?

Tonight and tomorrow, back with CT - and the Backyard Comedy Club! Always a great atmosphere.. 

I headed off a bit later than usual, conscious that the bar doesn't open till 6. Traffic was dreadful, but I still made it in time to get food from the bar, and eat, before the house opened! I was third in.. so I managed to get one of the tables, so handy for leaving stuff on.

Usually, they do New Material on Thursdays - but tonight, they were doing "So You Think You're Funny?", an open-mic night for anyone with a modicum of performing experience who wanted to have a go. And you know, wow, it was great. Not all the acts were great, but you know, they were all original! and some had some really funny routines. Anyway, of all the comedy clubs I've been to, this is the nicest to attend - a comfortable environment, a welcoming one for newcomers, and entertaining acts. Some spoke too softly, some had questionable material - but hey, it was all interesting! And a great night was had, with a very good-value bar. As always. And yes, whatever was wrong with the traffic, it was also awful on the way home..

Tomorrow, my sometime companion from Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) is joining me at the same venue. We're heading to the local Nando's beforehand.

The weekend, for me, is all about horror - on Saturday, I was planning to go to a film, and could have chosen something higher rated; in particular, Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life), which is top of my list in terms of ratings, looks a striking film, based on the true story of an Indian man who went to Saudi Arabia in the expectation of a higher paying job, but ended up being effectively kidnapped by a local goat farmer, and spending literally years in the desert, paid nothing and treated worse than the animals! He finally managed to escape - on foot. Seems an epic tale.

It also seems not that much fun. And when I saw that The Hideout, who are headed to The First Omen that evening, had a space available in their group - they'd been full when I last looked - I jumped at that instead. They're going to the Vue West End. Honestly, I'm not completely optimistic about it, on foot of the trailer - but gee, I do see that the rating has just gone up from last night! Decent rating for a horror film.. you never know. It is, of course, a prequel to the classic The Omen.. so, many references to that are to be expected. Bill Nighy shows up as a cardinal, Charles Dance plays a priest.. not Father Spiletto, famous from the previous films, although he appears in this too.

Sunday is also horror - I'm going with the London Horror Film Group to the Satanic Spring Market. It was good fun last time, although I didn't find anything to buy..

On Monday, I'm back with North London Friends - they have tickets for The Comeuppance, at The Almeida, and I got the last of theirs. It's now sold out for that day.

On Tuesday, I'm back with Over 40 Living the Life - a more dependable dinner date this time, at Greenwich Yacht Club!

On Wednesday and next Thursday, back with UITCS - my longest Meetup streak in a long while! On Wednesday, we're off to An Actor Convalescing in Devon, at Hampstead Theatre.

And next Thursday, we're at The Ballad of Hattie and James, at The Kiln. And then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.

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