On Tour - Exeter, Newport, Blackpool

09/14/2010

Day 9 - Exeter.
Exeter is a very pleasant place, though the phone masts are all controlled by ninjas who give you a full signal everywhere except under a tree. The Barnfield theatre was very cosy venue and the show went great. Charlie was doing some radio interviews so we trotted off to BBC radio Devon, which was staffed by man running three shows and didn't even know we were supposed to be there, he let us in then ran off to do his show, his live show, at the same time. If this is the kind of effect BBC cuts are having on local services, it's a great shame.

Day 10.
I can't remember day ten.

Day 11 - Newport.
Newport has the second largest tidal range in europe. That means the tide goes really low, but then comes up really high at night like a cold watery surprise. Charlie found some plates in a junk shop match plates he already has, so it going for the set. I bought a pen. The nice techy chap at the venue looked like the man of the go compare advert, but without the wiggly moustache.

Day 12 - Blackpool
I drove the BMW through a busy pedestrian precinct to get to the loading bay parking, possibly one of the most exciting things I've ever done in a car in a seaside town on a Sunday. I went looking for a Jacket Potato for lunch while Charlie had a salad. We found a food court in the local shopping centre, but it only sold fish and chips - even the noodle bar. The Blackpool Grand was a huge venue to fill and Blackpool is a very competitive town for shows. Saying that I had a good one and met the show manager, who really enjoyed the show and said the sound guys was laughing too, and if the sound guy is laughing, you know you're doing something right

Day 13 - Break
Went home to the missus. Washed, re-packed and cooked a fish curry.

Day 14 - Croydon
Oh London, that there London. I was getting to like you but you make it so hard. You're like a really fit bird in contour pants. From afar you seem really attractive, but then up close its all squashed up rolls of fat packed into a small space, making it impossible to get around you without breaking a sweat and taking ages. Not seen the theatre yet, but a nice man did come and 'help' me by telling me to park somewhere else. There is not parking in Croydon. Bring it on.

Here's an abridged review of the show from the South Wales Post:

"This was a quite extraordinary tour de force by Ross, who used every ounce of energy at his disposal to re-create Tolkien's Lord of the Rings utilising physical prowess, a multitude of different voices, music and sounds, not one of which emanated from any other source except himself.

Watching Ross going through his paces was simply amazing, and he even had an enraptured response from people who had no idea what he was doing - which is quite a feat.

Ross was supported in the first part of the show by Danny Pensive, a truly inspired comedian in the mode of John Sparkes' Siadwel character, whom I could quite happily have watched for longer. Why this man is not a household name is beyond me: gloriously deadpan and very funny, he kept the crowd laughing with subjects ranging from Hopi ear candles and inaccurate advertising on TV."

John Cooper
Comedian & artist.
2024
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