I did my first gig at an Open Mic night at The Studio, Hartlepool a couple of weeks ago. Despite nearly being so nervous I almost threw up a lung, my set went down pretty well - although the audience was largely made up of my friends, so it was an easy-ish introduction to the profession.
On the back of that I was invited to perform at The Studio again last night. This time though it was with the Big Owl Comedy Club - which meant paying customers, and being sandwiched in between two professional comedians (not in a sexual way, it wasn't that kind of gig). This, along with deciding not to use my 'cheat sheet' unlike the previous time and relying on memory, brought its own pressures. This time nerves got the better of me and I forgot two of my best gags.
It seemed like a nightmare in my head from start to finish, but upon watching back the footage I seem to have just about pulled it off.
I took a risk by conquering my fear of public speaking, and it paid off. Now I've got the stand-up bug. I've got several more gigs lined up already, and I'm adding new jokes to try and take my set from 8 minutes to around 10.
With a bit of luck, this could take off...
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