So, that tour diary was an unqualified success. I was so jet-lagged all week I just couldn’t face sitting down and recounting what I’d been up to. Then I started writing a new poem and I was damned if a blog was going to get in the way.
Obvs there are loads of really distraught people out there about this. Well, just for posterity I’ll record a few facts. The shows went pretty well all told. I hated the Friday night one because I was so tired and weirded out I couldn’t be sure if I was speaking in the right language. Though I only know English and comic cod French, so the chances are … But weirdly I got the best audience response after the show, so you can never tell. We had a couple of full houses and all in all I played to about 800 people.
On Saturday night I said goodbye to Cynical Ballads for ever with what I estimate was performance number 70 or 71. It’s come a long way since the first scratch at HOMEWORK in June 2010. In fact, it was running a full ten minutes longer than the last time I did it, which didn’t make any sense as I hadn’t really changed a word. I guess it’s proof of my slowing down with a bit more confidence, so all good. Anyway, it was a great way to send off a show that has been very civil to me indeed. A huge thank-you to Genevieve and Tock who looked after me at the theatre and to Mike, Brett, Tatia and all at Melbourne Festival for making me feel so very welcome. I hope I find my way back down under soon.
So now I’m home and the jet-lag is working the other way. It’s 5.30 and I’m sitting at the kitchen table writing the blog I’ve been putting off for a week. Ho-hum. New poem coming on this very site tomorrow. And I’m off to Brighton to do the last tour gig with Johnny Clarke. Bye.