Blog: Croydon From A New Angle

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I have been to Croydon many MANY times over the years, always via either London Bridge or Victoria, so you can imagine how EXCITED I was last night when I went a DIFFERENT way! VERY excited, that's how much!

I went from the Thameslink station at St Pancras, which always feels like a TOP SECRET station because it's hidden away beneath all of the others and is MYSTERIOUSLY rarely mentioned by TfL JourneyPlanner. Getting this train was GRATE as it was Not Horrifically Busy like the others normally are, and also QUICK.

I thus arrived at The Spreadeagle in Croydon full of joy, and was soon forced close to BURSTING by seeing not only Mr T Eveleigh, host and promoter, but also my co-performers Mr G Osborn and Ms J Lockyer. We had a chat, a soundcheck, and before you know it the doors were open. An Actual Audience came in, including a rather HUGE number of Totally Acoustic regulars, which was LOVELY, especially as The Strings On My Guitar had come along too and was thus DELIGHTED to see everyone!

Gav kicked off and as usual was GRATE, doing a huge HEAP of brand new songs. He does not fall back on his hits, Mr Osborn, creating NEW ones instead, which is something that I always feel a) should be applauded but also b) SHAMED by. However, this time I had come prepared, and when it was my turn to go on I unleashed the following BARRAGE of new songs, HITS, and dusty old items from the back of the cupboard:

20 Things To Do Before You're 30

Someone Else's Turn

Cheer Up Love

Chips And Cheese, Pint Of Wine

Girlfriend Alarmed

Two Nights, One Pub

Leave My Brother Alone

It Only Works Because You're here

We Did It Anyway

I was a bit afeared beforehand of doing all of these NOT GUARANTEED BANGERS, but I'm proud to say I stuck to my guns and it seemed to go OK. It's always a bit odd playing non-funny songs after supposed-to-be-funny songs, especially when the crowd have come expecting something at least vaguely comedic. Some audience members get PERPLEXED, worry that they must have missed something, and laugh at entirely random sentences, but I think it went all right. I was VERY pleased to debut Someone Else's Turn and DELIGHTED to find that Two Nights, One Pub has the makings of a HIT.

After me Jenny came on and did THREE ACTS, including two CHARACTERS. The first bit was especially GRATE as she did a bit with an American Actress character (KIND OF) who reminded me of Elaine Stritch (NB have looked her up just now and that is a Very Apt Comparison). The best thing about this particular bit was that it allowed Jenny to be Quite Rude, but also to clearly LARF at the fact she was getting away with it!

It was rather a marvellous evening, and LOVELY to see the above mentioned CHUMS, in audience and on stage, again. Even the stroll back to East Croydon station was full of pleasure - we'd been tipped off that Black Mirror were filming round the corner, and had built a realistic 1980s Wimpy Bar, Chelsea Girl, and best of all WH SMITHS in the shopping centre. We went and had a look, much to the bemusement of a teenager who was, I think, meant to be guarding it but had no idea why all these Grown-Ups were staring through the windows with such glee!

posted 27/4/2018 by MJ Hibbett

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Comments:

It was a great night, everyone was excellent including the audience!
posted 29/4/2018 by Steve Francombe

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