Comedy is not pretty

It’s Sunday night in Manchester and raining cats and dogs, but no frogs, not like in the film Magnolia, now that would be something else. I love that movie. William H Macy is a gormless car salesman with a desperate streak, cash flow problems and rich father in law. He gets in a right old mess. There’s a cop who falls for a junkie, the daughter of a game show host who abused her as a kid. Now she’s all messed up and in need of rescuing. Tom Cruise plays a credible male motivational tutor with a Salute the Cock catchphrase I was very much taken with. It’s all set in LA and has a Short Cuts feel to it, interwoven stories playing out to great effect. I’m just reminding myself I need to see it again. Perhaps later, ok then, absolutely. We’re back in Manchester around 6pm freshening up in Ben Cooke’s flat and chatting with Kasia the Polish princess about her job with Man U TV as I have secret designs on tickets for the Villa game. Ben, who is married to the princess, booked the majority of the tour dates and we thank him collectively for his patience and tenacity by way of drinks in the Knot Fringe Pub in Deansgate which has become something of a local for us. The Comedy Store is hosting our Today Cancer charity gig and I’m ashamed to say I’ve never been before despite having had several opportunities. I have no real excuses. It’s a plush modern venue in a converted warehouse with a chrome n steel feel [you know the type] and there’s a decent crowd in. Alas the gig is a rushed affair. The girl who finally lets us in looks like she’s about to explode and is incredibly rude to us, arrangements are not running smoothly and no one seems to know when we are on exactly. The stage manager arrives and asks us to set up immediately after the band currently finishing their set. We do just that and then we’re on. The audience is sat down theatre style. We cut our set short because we’re asked to and then we’re out of there as the smug stage manager shrugs his shoulders in what appears to be grandiose gesture of indifference. The sound wasn’t so bad all things considered and I actually enjoyed the show, shame about the organisation, still that’s charity for you and we wish them well whatever. I’m back home early declining the after show party like the not really a party type person that I am, ever so yours truly, VPx