3 nights, 4 gigs in Glasgow

Last night the Socks played not one but an unexpected two gigs, adding a 15 minute slot at Ha Ha Comedy's 11 o'clock show to their scheduled hour long Socks In Space to make it 4 gigs over the last three days here in Glasgow.


This picture, courtesy of Dean O'Dinosaur on Facebook, captures the Socks in a couple of their new Socks in Space costumes from Thursday night's show.

As with our run of shows at Leicester Comedy Festival last month, we've used these shows as Previews, or Work In Progress shows (and if there is an accurate definition of the difference between the two I'm afraid I'm not aware of it yet), presenting an hour long show which includes some items from our previous Edinburgh and touring show Boo Lingerie, and an increasing amount of new material.

Thursday night's show, which had the smallest audience of the three, saw the first outing of the new Melies Brothers routine (don't look for it online, it's live-only so far), parts of which go down very well, and other parts of which were removed by the Friday show and further improved for Saturday. The Taylor Swift song (a version of We Are Never Getting Back Together) appeared on Thursday only and is now, I think, dropped for good (you also won't find that online yet); Bowie at 66 returned for the Saturday show and might stay; and Fireball XL5 has been going down well all three nights as has Expendable (not online).

The sketches debuted in Leicester - CPR, Bionics, and Time Travel (n.o.) keep getting better, and one called What You Didn't Know has never yet been performed and looks destined not to be. As we go along the new stuff is squeezing out the old, and a good bit of writing I got done on Saturday morning really helped the opening of the show, four top rank gags of which I'm very proud, and the threading through of a couple of running gags that hold things together. I realise none of this is of the slightest interest to anyone but me, in fact you're now reading my private diary, bugger off why don't you?

Socially I had the best time after the first night, drinking with John McShane and Pete Renshaw from Plan B Books, putting the world to rights and admiring the Lobey Dosser statue just across the road from our venue, a photo of which you'll see soon. And on Friday I went to Edinburgh for a fruitful meeting with the Gilded Balloon about our forthcoming Fringe shows, including the return of The Sitcom Trials, after which I took in all the galleries including what, in our house, we call The Museum Of Faces.

Notably, while most of the country seems to be crippled by snow, there's been barely a flake in Glasgow or Edinburgh, both of whose streets are free of white stuff, here's hoping I manage to fly home later today. Thanks Glasgow Comedy Festival, and to Alan who booked it and Tony who ran it, it's been our best GCF yet. Next stop Bath Comedy Festival, where I shall be repeating my track of doing my first show during the first brand new episode of Doctor Who, with all that portends.



SOCKS ON TOUR - Your next chance to see the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre

Mar 21, 22, 23 - Glasgow Comedy Festival, The Dram
Mar 30, April 5 - Bath Comedy Festival, Ring O'Bells
April 12 - Plough Arts, Torrington, Devon
April 13 - Barnfield, Exeter
April 27 - Gardyne Theatre, Dundee
April 28 - Eden Court, Inverness
May 1 - Swindon Arts Centre
May 9, 10 - Komedia, Brighton Fringe
May 25, 26 - Inverness Happy-Ness Festival
May 29 - Theatr Mwdlan, Cardigan
May 31 - Exchange Arts, Keighley
June 1 - Junction, Goole
June 2 - Barnsley Civic
June 8 - Warwick Arts Centre
June 25 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
June 27 - Victoria Theatre, Halifax
June 28 - Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
July 2, July 9 - Leicester Square Theatre, London
July 13 - Cardiff Comedy Festival
July 14 - Sheffield, New Barrack Tavern 2pm
July 20 - Bedford Fringe
July 21 - Derby Funhouse 3.25pm
July 22 - Clowns Pocket, Neath
July 31 - Aug 25 - Gilded Balloon, 10.15pm, Edinburgh Fringe
Sept 7 - Derry Waterside
Sept 21 - Braintree Arts Theatre
Oct 26 - Canterbury Festival

Further dates to be added, (plus regular appearances at your local comedy club, check listings for details and, if you can't find us, ask your local comedy club to book us, it can't hurt). Watch Facebook, here or ents24 for updates.



See all other Socks tour dates in the Scottish Falsetto Socks Gig Guide.