Buxton & Leicester - tour starts with a sellout

Okay, re that headline, not a sellout on the very first night. The very first night of the tour was Buxton Opera House, and that ended up with a small but perfectly formed crowd making a lovely noise in the Pavilion Arts Centre Studio. But, no, not a sellout. We also didn't manage a sellout on the first of our two nights in Leicester, despite the publicity effort. (Photo above by Elliott from NCF Comedy)

Last Saturday we left the house at 4.30am in order to get to Radio Leicester for a 7.30 interview. Later that day I, as Kev F, did an hour long podcast interview on the subject of the old comedy clubs of Leicester, and took the opportunity to leave some flyers around. So you can't say we hadn't made the effort in plugging Leicester. Burton, by the way, had also had a phone interview with the Socks and High Peak Radio which may, indeed, have made a difference to the audience size.

It was the 2nd night of our Leicester Comedy Festival that was the bonafide sellout, and a cracking show too. Before Buxton, we hadn't performed Socks Do Shakespeare in full since November 11th last year at the Nottingham Comedy Festival, which is a long time to go rusty in. Blimey, until I wrote it just then I didn't realise that's three months! Well, we did pretty bloody well then, though Buxton lacked a little spark, and some of that fluidity that comes with the confidence of a show that's on a roll. By Leicester it was all back to its Edinburgh form and great fun was had by all.

Another thing that was had by a few was the merchandise, including the freshly minted Socks Do Shakespeare DVD. It's a limited edition of just 50 copies, each one individually burnt, hand-packaged, signed and numbered, intended to be sold at gigs. It makes it quite clear on the outside that it's not broadcast quality, but I think it's a cracking memoir of the show, and I'm pleased we finally managed to make a show worth recording in its entirety, and managed to record it in full.  You;ll get that at the rest of the tour gigs after which, if there are any left, they'll go on sale online. (Photo by Deb Green)



2017 TOUR
Feb 15 - Buxton Pavilion Arts Centre Studio 
Feb 17 & 18 6.50pm - Kayal, Leicester Comedy Fest
March 9 - Aberystwyth Arts Centre
March 15 & 16 - Dram! Glasgow Com Fest
March 23 - The Bill Murray, London
Apr 1 - Rotherham Comedy Festival
Apr 6 - Victoria Theatre Halifax
Apr 8 - Rondo Bath
Apr 13 - Hexham Queen's Hall
Apr 22 - Swindon Arts
Apr 27 - Stroud Subscription Rooms
Apr 28 - Merlin Theatre Frome
Apr 29 - Perth Concert Hall
May 1 - Chiddingstone Castle Kent
May 5 - Artrix Bromsgrove
May 6 - Stafford Gatehouse
May 13 (4.30pm) & May 14 (5.30pm) Komedia Brighton
May 19 - Carriageworks Leeds
May 26 - Aberdeen May Fest
June 2 - Eden Ct Inverness
June 15 - Crescent Arts, Belfast
June 17 - Dalkey Festival, Dublin
June 23 - Hertford Comedy Festival
June 24 - Ludlow Fringe
August 15 - 17 Camden Fringe