The city is Ashburton, the venue is The Shed.
The stage is set. The mic is working. The audience starts to filter in. The beer has been poured. The crowd builds to around 60 or so people, seats seem pretty much full. The gig is called Simon & Barry – The Original Comedy Assasins, or Asses. Here is the ad -
This is my first ever Stand Up gig, i have never ever bothered trying before. Even though i had considered it a bit, there was never really an opportunity and i had never gone looking for one either. Simon and I both had two six minute sets, which doesn’t seem that long but believe me it is. 12 minutes of material is heaps, especially when on the likes of Comedy Central on TV they have about 3 minute sets. However in saying that we recently went to a gig in Christchurch where they did 30 minute sets! But the likes of Jerry Seinfeld started with 5 minute sets.
Simon facebook’s me before Christmas last year and suggests i do the gig with him and lists of the positive reason’s why i should. Si has done a couple of these before and i was nervous i wouldn’t be able to compare to his experience. After alot of thought and some gentle persuasion i accept the offer. Throughout Christmas i thought about it, forever in the back of my head…asking people if they thought some of the ideas were funny. The day continued to draw closer and closer and the nerves continued to build in anticipation.
The original gig was meant to be February 24th 2011, two days after the quake. Needless to say it was cancelled, and to be honest it was a weight of my shoulders, in one way i thought it was all over and done with. However it was not, it was penciled in for May…soon that was postponed to June. I crossed my fingers for another postponement but that was never going to happen.
I am not sure why life seems to work this way but isn’t it just typical that when something is important and requires your attention alot of other things seem to try to steal it away. On the day of the gig i felt less than prepared…trying to go over it in my head all the time, asking myself the question, is this actually funny. I have been on stage once before during some improv stuff when things went bad, when the jokes weren’t funny, when no-one actually laughed and there was the odd uncomfortable coughing going on…it was so awkward that i wanted the ground to open up and swallow me, i walked of stage so embarrassed. I was not sure i could handle another performance like that, but the fact it was in Ashburton helped.
Si and I drove down together, that was the best thing and actually made the trip even more fun. Bouncing ideas and thoughts of each other, drinking energy drinks and discussing evolution and science. No thats not true, we never discussed evolution.
So we make it down, get to the gig, meet the owner, talk through the set, check the mic and grab a beer…we disappear into the green room. The green room is not green, its the storage area out the back but it does the trick. A few of our mates from Christchurch made the trip, Matt Kitto, Nadia Reid and Sarah Kirner. We were pleased to have their support.
Show time comes faster than expected, before we know it Si is about to go on…i find a spot in the corner, side of stage to watch. Si had a tough start, the crowd were still a bit cold and just as he got started the office phone rang loudly which distracted everyone. But he pulled it together and went for it, he had some great moments, Si can do characters really well and his impersonation of Arnold Schwarzenegger was awesome.
A quick break and then it was my turn. ” Please welcome to the stage…Barry Jackson! “, a polite clap. Protruding a fake confidence from years of acting training i went for it, pausing for the moments when i thought people would laugh. I was happy to find they did.
With one set under the belt i relaxed a little..it went well and i didn’t die, people laughed at the right spots.
Simon attacks his second set and once again was hindered by random distractions but to his credit and a true sign of professionalism he continued on. Once again he tells a few great story’s and finishes strong. Then i get the call for the final set. The last 6 minutes. I am happy to report that i didn’t die that time either, it went smooth and once again people laughed at the right spots. When i walked of the stage that time i was stoked, the feeling of accomplishment and success overwhelmed me. I had conquered something i hadn’t done before, not conquered as in the top of the game but conquered as in i gave it a go and passed.
The owner seemed happy, must be cos we are booked in for the 30th of June now. Which is fast approaching. And so the cycle begins again, in the back corner of my mind i am taking note of everything that goes on around me and asking the question…’ is that funny?’.
Only difference this time is i have a better idea of what is ahead of me and the knowing that greatness always has a beginning. ha ha ha you will be pleased to note that i am not confident just yet of my secured fame as a Stand Up comic but you never know, it has to start somewhere, why not at The Shed in a town called Ashburton.
Baz
For a bit over a week we slept here. Obviously harder than what we are used to, but for me it was the pillow’s that were the struggle here. In the end i think i used other blankets instead.
This was the second place. Fine for me i guess but not ideal for me and my wife together…i am no small man which didn’t help but it took us back to when we first got married and we didn’t have a lot of money so for a few months all we had was a King Single bed. So it was not an entirely new experience. The room did have air conditioner which was a major positive. The house itself was very nice, good showers and a comfortable couch!
We went out to a place which was a few hours travel from where we were staying so we stayed at people’s places for the night. We stayed here, this was the best bed we stayed in, it was so comfy and the pillows were awesome! It had its own ensuite. It was goodness, pure goodness. The lady who’s house we were at was very generous. Her husband only comes home on Saturday’s because he works a busy job, in fact he is an Animation Director. He worked on the Nickelodeon cartoon series – Avatar.
The last room. For the last three nights we were here, it was big enough for my wife AND me which was good, however it was pretty rock hard. It was funny actually because it looked so comfortable, so we kind of jumped in and Rach and I both went ‘ Argh ‘ as we hit the bed. It was like sleeping on a high floor with a sheet.
