I was invited to give a talk at PechaKucha Manchester recently. It's a speaking format using 20 slides, and 20 seconds on each slide, to give a talk of around 6 minutes...pretty tight.

I chose to speak about my near 20 years in comedy and try and condense it right down. My relocating to Manchester years ago to make a go of stand-up. Getting a comedy agent, taking up improv, performing at the Edinburgh festival and going on tour support around the country with comedians far more well-known than myself!

It was a liberating talk to give. I'd not given it much thought before suggesting the idea and it was a nice way to reaffirm my personal history. I'm often so busy thinking about my next project that perhaps I don't always acknowledge the skill of my experience that I should give myself credit for.

Pecha Kucha is a global format which takes place all over the world. The event I attended had scientists, engineers, clothing manufacturers, climate change specialists and me, I might have felt a little out of place, but on refl,ection I wasn't. Stand-up comedy is a very niche career choice.

I was also challenged by Kyle the organiser to give a second talk completely improvised, without any knowledge of the slides. Of course I relished it, as to me that's a 'no pressure gig'.

One of the other speakers commented on how terrifying the idea of an improvised talk was. From my perspective, it's just fun.
I think it's still very much an issue that some folks aren't comfortable speaking in public. PechaKutcha was really supportive and a great platform for that.

I hope to change that perception in the training I do, I'm currently promoting a talk on improvisation.

Building on my TEDx Talk in July, I go to teams and companies who are perhaps a little intimidated by improv. Instead of a workshop with participants, the talk, explains the benefits of improv, for work andfor fun, in a way I hope will understand and encourage teams to try improve themselves and build the brain muscle skills that I now take for granted. Just saying 'Yes, and'.

I'm chuffed to bursting to reveal I've been chosen to speak at TEDx Warrington 2022...and it's only a week away!

It's such a relief to let the get out of the bag, as I've been sitting on this info and rehearsing for the last two months. Not only that, but this particular inaugural TEDx in Warrington was intended to go ahead in 2020, and we all know what happened there. I submitted my idea in 2019 and then resubmitted again in 2022 when the doors reopened. It's been fascinating watching the other speakers in rehearsals, the diverse topics and of course, I can't reveal ANYTHING AT ALL. Ha ha.

The live event has already sold out, with maybe one or two last-minute tickets if folks are lucky. The Warrington team have been amazing, steering the rollercoaster and all the moving parts that make the event happen.

A different stage

Of course, I'm an experienced performer, and I've done a lot of gigs, but this is very different. I've been a fan of TED and TEDx talks for years, so to be picked to do one is special, and a big tick box on my bucket list.

The challenge I found as an experienced stand-up comic hasn't been to remember the words, but learn to leave my ego and performance habits at the door, approaching the whole thing as fresh as I can.

Kirsty, Catherine and the team, have been really supportive with great feedback and I can't wait for the live event on 23rd June at Parr Hall.