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Writer's pictureElf Lyons

Elf's Diary Blog Entry #10 - The Artist, The Comedian and The Clown


Technically it is Sunday the 11th, at 00:30am, though this is my reflection of the 10th. I need to learn to start falling asleep earlier but writing letters to penpals takes so much detailed time and BBC Radio 6 at this time is always staggeringly good. I have fallen in love with Stuart Maconie. Listening to 'Fracture/Fragment' by Last Harbour currently. Very Joy Division-esque.

It's fair to say that The Dublin Castle in Camden is always the start of a dangerous night, and my hangover this morning at 8am is proof of this. I compered the always enjoyable Friday Night at the Camden Comedy Club - the acts included Jonny Pelham, Jenny Collier and Joel Dommet. Brilliant line-up and the crowd was huge and drunken. It was a great gig. Compering is one of my favourite things in the world. I could not love any other job more. Aftewrards I needed something to help ease the adrenalin come-down I was experiencing after 2 hours of compering, so I went to drink (yes, I faultered on my Dry January aim... it's more 'Damp January' now but ah well) with my fellow red & white striped irish girl Eimear and our tall clown Gethin Alderman.

Too many whiskys later we were seated in the red brothel lighting of the old music establishment, The Dublin Castle. It looked like a 'The Cure' look-a-like convention was taking place, but we fitted in nicely: The clown, the artist and the comedian. All of us shouting over one another and covering one another in kisses, crisps and raw laughter, all whilst fighting over Pork Scratchings. Sometimes it is the dankest looking bars which provide the most enjoyable places to share stories and be intimate. Life is too short to sit in bars and coffee houses which look like they've been designed to match the colour of their customers Mac Book Pros. I want dirty old leather and peeling wallpaper with moth-loving lighting, not disinfected wipe-down wood flooring and metal surfaces. Most posh bars now seem to want to look like a forensic pathologist's work space rather than a welcoming place for conversation.

The impact of my comfort at The Dublin Castle hit me this morning at 8am. One of those slow moving headaches which feels like a fat worm is nestling in your head. Fair to say I just drank water & coffee today.

It was our second day of rehearsals for Duck Flu at 11am this morning. Hence why I was up early to prepare. I dont' want to write too much about our process as I am actually documenting it on our OddFlock blog (check it out), but the whole process is so far been very seamless and enjoyable. Thom and Harriet are joyous creatures to be in the company of, and Thom kindly lends me cigarettes, which I highly love him for.

Aftewards I helped James Hamilton with the rehearsing of his new show, and then I went to see BULL at the Young Vic by Mike Bartlett. Mike Bartlett is one of the most talented playwrights the UK has (in my humblie opinion) and BULL, his 55 minute play about bullying in the workplace, is astoundingly well executed, performed and incredibly socially relevant. I would HIGHLY recommend you go and see it! Sam Troughton's performance is heartbreaking.

Overall, another top day.

Bed time calls. More rehearsals tomorrow (technically today).

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