In the countdown to the Edinburgh fringe festival, I’ve started writing a blog, which is turns out is mainly about comedy writing and the development of the show “Power Tool”. It’s called Diane Spencer (fun): Diary of a standup comedian.
Festival minus….
In this maiden blogging voyage Diane discuss’s her favourite pen and what kind of notebook she prefers. It’s as thrilling as it sounds.
Diane tries writing through different mediums, and decides joke books are like riding bikes with stabilisers.
Faced with having to cut 20 mins of her show, Diane gets precious about the narrative, then realises she must grow a spine.
Diane likes to procrastinate, so she gets a desk facing a blank wall.
After watching too many CSI episodes, Diane realises what you immerse yourself in can have an effect on your creative output. She also has a gig in Maidstone, Kent.
Diane arrives late to a gig looking like a “washed up sun burnt dog”.
On listening back to her recorded preview, Diane discovers a problem with part 3, and discusses stand-up comedy structure.
Choosing what to keep in a routine, and then how to play it so you succeed – probably more for the comedy nerds.
The Fringe Media Office and the photographer Steve Ullathorne are both immensely helpful in promoting Diane’s show, as there is no PR representative this year, so who will get cocaine for the journalists?
Diane starts doing conscious stream writing, and is reading a book for creatives in recovery.
Diane compares her stand-up show to a wonky circus tent, in that the tent poles need shifting before the clowns show up.
In this week’s blog, Diane has watched an episode of The New Twilight Zone where a comedian has to do a gig in hell.
Despite getting “Royal Marines Commando” in a career suitability test at school, Diane discovers she folds under certain types of pressure.
Diane discovers her chakra is blocked, and not even fibre will help.
Due to circumstances within her control, Diane will not overrun at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
After getting addicted to Portal 2, Diane ponders time travel and following it through to the logical conclusion.
Diane gives Madonna 77 cents.