Hey Kids,

Bonne Annee Mes Amies - I think that's how you spell it!?  Ooppss! Should have maybe spent more time paying in attention in French class.

Oh well...I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New year and are raring to go with 2010?

I feel particularly positive about this year and am starting it off with a big cleanse.  I have decided I am no longer going to do things I don't enjoy -At 31 I really shouldn't have to should I? 

So, 2010 starts with 'Out with the old and in with the new.' On 20th January it will be my last time performing with The Sketchy Collective at the Albany.  I do hope you come down and check it out but for me it's time to move on.  I've been running/co-running a comedy night there for nearly two and half years now and it's time for a change.

Enter Joke Party!

Yippeeee...There will be more info about this later but for now keep Tuesday 2nd February free and I will hopefully see you then....TBC

Love
matt's little sister xx

Returning for just one night only,

Andrea Donovan showcases her smash hit, sell out* 

Edinburgh one woman character comedy

'Regret Me Not'

on

Tuesday 24th November 9.30pm

@

Hen and Chickens Theatre

Islington
 
'Wickedly Funny' said The List
 
'Subtly observed, at times scary and always deliciously loopy, Donovan’s portraits reveal not only a consummate comic actor, but also an enviable writing talent'

said The Stage
 
'Darling, you've taken out the willy bit?' said Lorraine Donovan
 
For more information check out the trailer: 

'Regret me not' trailer

Tickets cost £6.50(£5 if you have your membership card)

 

Book now on:

0207 704 2001

 

Hope to see y'all there

 

xxx

 

*Not quite true...

For those of you unfamiliar with Bainbridge Hall...Shame on you!!!

Well, It's back and I know that'll you be dying to come along and check out what Kenton and Bibi Bainbridge have in store for you so this is just a little note to let you know that myself and the wonderful Mr. Glynn Reed will be hosting The Sketchy Collective live from Bainbridge Hall next Wednesday 21st October.  There is fabulous comedy involved  - amazing special guests and free cupcakes in the interval!!  What more do you guys want!!

We do hope to see you there. You can book your tickets by phoning this number: 0207 387 5706 and leaving your precious details.

So.
We're all done.
I say we, I, of course, mean me.

It was amazing.  The highs and the lows (Of which there were plenty!!), the drinking, the silent shows, the meeting new people, the compliments, the deathly bored stares, the North bridge, the cheap cider, the friends who came to visit and spur me on, the reviews, the fab girls who picked me up when I was down, the fab boys who laughed at my outfits on a daily basis, the seeing amazing shows, the silent discos, the weather, the flyerering, the awards, the cute boys and Lional Blair who on the last day I spoke to for an hour.

Just a few piccies as I merge myself back into 'The real world' that...unfortunately sucks right now...

.....You know me though.  Lots in the pipeline...Watch this space.

My Costumes and Set..Just a simple gal, don't need much:


My set in 'The Hut':


The Pleasance Courtyard where I spent most of my time:


My name up in lights...erm..I mean ..on the board:


The beautiful Ms. Aerosmith:


My quotes:


BC and AD:


Steve Mould aka Model:



See you Soon
Love
Me xx

Check it: (Don't know what a lot of the words mean but I find them quite impressive)

 

Regret Me Not

What a journey!!!

 

Jesus christ these past two weeks have been the biggest rollercoaster ride of my life.  I have learnt so much in this short space of time and have had incredible highs and pretty depressing lows. 

 

I do love a list:

 

The Lows:

• My first painful, harsh, one star review and the subsequent tears that followed.
• The flyering aka the rejection
• The weather
• The lack of sleep
• The second week where my show died and I didn't know how to revive it.  I did four silent shows in a row.  The sudience were silent...I wasn't, well, I might as well have been!
• The 5 minute slot I just did at a comedy night where I died on my ass and then ran away before the punters could lynch me
• Knowing in just over two weeks I have to go back to the day job.

The Highs:

• My Beautiful, resurected show
• My List Review
• My audience reviews
• The weather
• Eating beautiful japenese food with Sister With Massive Laugh and Tim.
• Seeing Matt and Jamie everyday
• Seeing The One Who Wasn't The One have sell out shows
• Hearing my tiny audiences laugh at my jokes
• Tom Basden
• Seeing Frisky and Mannish
• Seeing Phil Nichol who gives me a massive hug everytime I see him.
• Miriam, Sky and Wot who look after me in The Hut.

I thought I'd add a few piccies of my groudhog days where I guillotine my tiny but beautiful press quote:

I get friends and family (Tim and Sister With Massive Laugh) to help me staple them to my flyers so I can hand them out the next day:

I miss out on a much needed massage because Sister With Massive Laugh gets her 'cramp' seen to.

 

These are my flatmates Nick and Becky who have just recieved a four star review from The Scotsman for their mask show, Balloon Boutique:

 

My techie, Jacqueline:

 

Obsessed with watching Tom Basden on Youtube:

 

And Finally, me...in my bedroom:

 

You can still book tickets here if you want to see the show and I'd certainly love you to, if you've seen it already...Spread the word and tell your friends:

 

Book me!

 

Love a very weary but ultimately happy

me xxx

 

It may be small and not quite perfectly formed but it is a good start and I'll take it:

 

       Andrea Donovan

The lingering poignancy of Regret Me Not, in which Donovan portrays a range of fictional women, indicates a bright future for this comic. There are some duds, including a Geordie drug addict turned life coach, but her Aussie school swimming instructor is wickedly funny and her African-baby craving librarian could be one of Fringe 2009’s most tender creations.

 

It has been harder than I ever thought but it is a good lesson.

 

Albeit an expensive and extremely hard lesson but one that I'm listening to and paying attention.

 

Book your tickets here if you want to come see the show!!!

 

Love me

xx

 

'At least stand up' said The One Who Wasn't The One.

I am sat on a bench in The Pleasance Courtyard gripping my tiny but beautiful flyers in both hands and trying not to cry.

'I will' I tell him with a wobbly lip. 'In 5 minutes I will stand up'

He laps the courtyard handing out flyers and chatting to people, selling his show with a smile on his face.  He returns 10 minutes later.

'Come on, stand up now.  You'll be fine'  He's trying to be firm but also soft as he can see the absolute terror in my eyes.

'Look, go to those people over there and just give them a flyer how you'd like to be given one.  Have a chat, you're good at that'

I stand.

I stay rooted to the spot for another 10 minutes.

I phone Beautiful Tessa in London and tell her how scared I am of flyering.  How it makes me feel phsically sick to hand out flyers with pictures of myself all over it.  To walk up to a table of complete strangers who have been bombarded every 5 minutes by people trying to sell them a show and tell them 'Hey guys, got any plans today at 4.45pm?  You haven't? Great, why not come see an amazing character comedy with me in it'

'Have a little vodka' She tells me.

'Not a great idea Tess, doing a show in three hours'

'Have a cheeky one anyway, I would.  In fact I'll be there in two days and I'll have one with you...and for you'

 

I love her and I wish she was here now with her enthusiasism and balls and confidence and smile and big laugh and 'Who gives a shit!'  She could sell my show to anyone!!  ANYONE I TELL YOU!! I more terrified of the flyering than I am of the show.  I love my show and I know it off by heart and I can't wait to do it but if I don't flyer I will be doing it to Jacqueline my techie and Miriam, who looks after my venue.

 

I loathe self promotion.

 

Please come and see my show as I'm so bad at flyering.

 

See my first review here (Tee Hee):

 

Review for 'Regret me not' in the Edinburgh Fringe

 

Love me

xxx

 

 

I'm off!!

Shizer Minelli!!

I am finally off to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2009.!!

What a journey.  My last two previews couldn't have been more different if they'd tried.  The first one had so few people in I had to beg someone who'd done a show before me to come in and bring his friends.  The second one was a blast and had about 20 people!!   Then came the shoulder...apparently it's pretty much frozen.  It started on saturday and has progressively gotten worse until yesterday where I cried/spoke for most of the day, went for my first ever massage, came home felt like puking and went to bed for 15 hours!  I couldn't stay in one place for more than a couple of minutes due to the severe pain it shot to my head.

 

 

Oh listen to me moaning..SHUT UP!!!  I'm off and that's all you need to know.  I shall be performing daily at The Pleasance Hut at 4.45pm and (if you're feeling very orgainised) you can book your tickets here:

 

Andrea Donovan.  Regret me not. Click here to book tickets!

 

I do hope to see you there and, if you do come and see the show, please come and tell me what you thought of it as I need all the help and feedback I can get.

 

Will update you on all my reviews (Only the good ones mind as who wants to read a bad review!!)

 

Love

me (With a frozen back/neck/head!) ...ouch! xxx

This is it folks.  The last time to come and see my previews before I head off to Scotchland for the biggest thing in my life since brogues became fashionable.  If you can, would love you to come down and support.  Would be great to have a full audience just once this year:

So below is my Edinburgh movie trailer!

 

I love it so much!!!!  I felt like crying when I first saw it.   In a strange way, if it all went tits up tomorrow I'd be happy because I feel like I've already been in a movie...and this is the amazing trailer that goes with it!  What a tit I am!

 

My friend Bobbi, from University, is a producer/director and so I asked him to help me...We filmed it one sunny sunday and then I left it with Bobbi and his Editor, Justin.  The rest is them. 

 

I hope you like it.  I wouldn't have been able to do it with out the following fabulous friends of mine:

 

Dan Taylor (Asher on the bike)

Sam Sanns (Scottish friend, Black jacket)

Kate Dean (Scottish friend, Blue scarf in her hair which Sister With Massive Laugh thought was knickers on her head!?! and Sound woman)

Glynn Reed (Bruce Catar, all black in the garden)

Nick Wigham (Ray Whelan in the car and Sound Man)

Jim Johnson (Voiceover)

and last, but by no means least

 

Rob Fisher (Producer/Director/Cameraman/Editor)...and Justin (Editor)

 

The majority of these people worked together on another project a couple of years ago.  Check it out here:

 

Stackers: A taster/pilot of a sitcom set in a supermarket by Dan Taylor

 

Anyway, I do hope you like the trailer below.  Pass it on to anybody and everybody if you can and hopefully see you all there...

 

Lovings

Me xx

Check it man!

 

 

So below is me with Nemone on the radio last week.  Why am I holding her baby bump?  I look like the proud husband.  Anyway, I loved it so much and wore a playsuit with brogues and wanted to stay chatting about music and cupcakes and BMX's for ages.  Alas it was a mere 10 minutes but 10 minutes of fame so I'm well chuffed.

 

Anyway, I have two previews left and would love you to come along, let me know what you think and cheer me on in the bits that drag.

Lovings
me xx

My gorgeous little friend Audrey, who works at the office of The Shop, writes for a fabulous little internet magazine called Lecool and, after coming to see my show last Monday, wrote a review for my next preview which is next Wednesday.

Check it out here:

Le cool magazine

You have to scroll along to Wednesday 8th July but I'm there.  Hope you can come to the preview too - only three left (details on my gigs page) and I always need an audience.

Lovings
me xx

SO I'm going to be on the radio tomorrow!!

I'm well excited.  It's on digital radio which (only found this out recently) means you can't listen to it on your normal radio but you can on a computer so if you do want to listen you can check me out here:

The Nemone show on BBC Radio 6.

I'm getting there for 2pm so might be on at about 2.30pm?  Not entirely sure.

Also..afterwards I'm doing an interview with the women's section of G2magazine, The Guardian newspaper magazine.  Have to discuss women in comedy!?! 

Will let you know when it's out.

Love me xx

* Regina Spektor: On the radio

Yes!  I'm back again and there is just far too much to fill you in on seeing as my last post was....Oh...nearly a year ago!  Here's a brief summary of all things that have been occuring:

* I went to Africa over the new year and had the best time of my entire life.
* I got my very first agent!  Wooo whoooo!
* I'm off to the Edinburgh Festival with my one woman show.
* I went for my first proper audition a couple of months ago and it was for a Hollywood movie!!! (I didn't get it in case you were wondering)
* I filmed a small pilot.
* I am now the new regular comedy columist in The Virgin trains magazine 'Hotline'
* I still work at The Shop

Phew!  I know.  Crazy and no doubt you have found this blog, that originally 3 and a half people used to look at (my mum, D's and Catchick - Thanks guys!), from my website!!!

I HAVE A WEBSITE!!  I can't believe it and I love it....I designed it and then my friend Babs made it - If that's what you do with Websites - but I hope you like it too...Let me know what you think so that I can have a comment as well.

Anyway, yes, business....So basically I'll be posting all my news on here and will keep you updated on anything exciting that happens in my life...and also probably just tell you some randomness.

Anyway...Thanks for stopping by and hope to see y'all soon
Love  me xx

The heart has a small hairline fracture.
It needs a break.
From everything...Writing, comedy, performance, life, love......

I'll be back but for now I must hibernate.

Hope you like the photos of the last show...it was a blast. xxx

See you soon
Love
matt's little sister xxx

That's me.
An old girl.
I am now 30 years old.
Am I any wiser?...Ummm I don't think so but I do feel slightly different. 

I care about less in the sense that I worry about less.  I let things go and I concentrate on this that make me happy. 

The Weeman (Reedy) is on holiday for the June show - Pah! and so I have to write a show without him in it.  It's going to be with Sister with a massive laugh and Bestie. 


Can't wait.  Writing for them has got me in stiches.  Here's to a great show.

Love
matt's little 30 year old sister xxx

This has been the best week.
Mainly because of this god damn gorgeous weather!!  What is going on?  I freaking love it!  But also because I have found a fabulous girl.
This is her.
She is called Bridget Christie and I love her!
I went to see Isy Suttie in an Edinburgh preview show at the Hen and Chickens.  She was doing half an hour of an hour slot and sharing the other half with a girl called Bridget Christie.  I'd heard her name a couple of times but didn't really know anything about her.  She was already my friend on myspace (doesn't mean we'd know each other if we were face to face though!) and I knew that her show last year was about King Charles II. 
As soon as she came out I loved her.  I loved the way she walked and spoke (Later I realised she reminded me of Eric Morecombe) and as her show fell apart around her and she gallantly kept going I loved the way she stayed aboard her sinking ship.

I sent her a message when I got home asking if she'd be a part of our June show and she replied the next day saying she would!  Oh I'm so excited.  You're all going to see her too...That's if you're coming to the June show?  In her reply she was so surprised that someone had emailed about last night 's show that 'wasn't vile and abusive'.  She said it was good though, that the show hadn't gone down well, because it had given her a lot to think about because if you have good, early previews you're lulled into a false sense of security and then you get to July and you've still got a shit show!
Exactly!
I had been thinking the very same thing that morning when i was on my bike on my way to work.  I have had a run of bad shows and shit gigs but have always learnt something form them and I truly believe that they are what will make me a better writer/performer.  I've never learnt anything from a good show.  I've simply sat on my ass and thought I was great.

More fool me.  Here's to the next show being great (although still educational) as I put everything I've learnt into it.
See you there?  Tuesday 13th may. 8pm.Lowdown at the Albany. 0207 387 5706.

Love
matt's little sister xxx

Ps.  Oh yeah!  I also wrote a piece about Rhys Darby for London Theatre Blog.  Check it out here:  Rhys' piece

That's how long we had him for.  5 whole hours.

After I wrote that last post or actually, thinking back, probably as I was writing it - I had a plan hatching in my little brain.  Having been out with a boy for three years who always encouraged me to do anything (Not that!) I took his advice and thought...There's nothing to lose.

When I met Rhys Darby at Spank he had done his amazing stand up and at the end of it he said 'I'm back here in the UK for a couple of monthes, maybe I'll see you around' .  The small plan that was then hatching in my head was 'Why not ask him to be in one of your shows?'  I knew that the worst that could happen is he could just say no and the fact that I desperatly wanted my sister to see him was reason enough to just ask him.

Stage one:  I found his Myspace page.  On Myspace you can see when people last logged on and his had been that day which meant he was still checking in regularly.  I'm telling you this because it's like a freaking graveyard out there - everybody has disappeared to facebook - or Facefuck or stalkbook as I like to affectionately name it.  He replied to people's comments and left regular blogs - Check it out here.  I added him as a friend and by Monday morning he had replied. Stage one complete.

Stage two:  Ask him to be a part of your show.  I sent a message.  This is what I wrote:

From: me, him and them
Date: Apr 7, 2008 4:54 AM


Hey Rhys,

Thank you so much for being our myspace friend and like I said before, we saw you at Spank last night and thought you were brilliant. I'd never seen your stand up before but found it so refreshing and original and well just great!

Anyway, you said you were here in the UK for a couple of monthes and so I thought, there's no harm in asking...We run our own comedy night, 'me, him and them', which is also on at Lowdown at the Albany and I was wondering if you wanted to come and be a part of it one evening?

We're on the second Tuesday of every month and, very much like Spank, we have different guests on each month performing characters, sketches and stand up. Having seen your work on Friday, I just know that you would go down a treat at our night and everyone would love it!

We have slots avaible for our May show - Tuesday 13th or our June show - Tuesday 10th June. It's quite a tame night but it's always a great, quite large crowd and is always over by 10pm (It is a school night after all!) but if you wanted to come do 20 minutes or so that would be really great.

Please don't worry if you're too busy or you simply don't want to. You've probably got loats on at the moment but I just enjoyed your stand up so much that I thought I would at least ask.
Hope everything is going well and hope to hear from you soon.

Many Thanks 

 The title of the piece had been 'No harm in asking'.  I tried to tell no one except weeman, so as not to jinx it.  I waited.  That night I got a reply:

Stage three:

Hi

Unfortunately Rhys is over here doing a film and will be based in Dorset in May and June so won't be able to make your gig. He is gigging this week in the build up to recording at the store next Monday, but apart from that is pretty busy on the film. If you have a slot tomorrow he may be able to do it, otherwise not possible, sorry.

Best Wishes

Mrs Darby

(Mr is at studio so not answering his own mail)

Oh I was so excited that she had replied to me and although it meant he wasn't going to be able to be a part of my night I just loved the fact that she had replied.  She replied!!!  I wrote back saying, what a shame because we were fully booked (The show was the next evening after all) but thank you so much for getting back to me.  I rang Sister with massive laugh who told me I was a fool!

WHAT!  She said, 'Get him in anyway, cut somebody, over run - Hollywood has asked to be a part of your night, you freaking fool!'  It's too late, I said and left it at that.....BUT....it was always there at the back of my mind.  'America's next top model' came and went at 9pm, I scribbled down times within the show, cut my own piece out - Who else could I move, cut, kick out..Could I get him in?  No, I'd already said no!

I went to bed.

A once in a lifetime opportunity was passing me by and I was going to bed with regrets.  WELL!!  I never like to see an opportunity pass me by. 

'GOT OUT OF BED AND GO SEND HIM A MESSAGE'...I whispered to myself.
Stage four:
At 12.30am I crept down the stairs and composed a message to him.  Luckily for me, he hadn't read the last one!  I was onto something, I could smell it.


Hey Mrs. D,

On seconds thoughts, if Rhys is free tomorrow night then we would be more than happy to have him! Thinking about it, we can shuffle things about and would love to have him come do 20 mins or so?

I realise you did say it was a maybe so not too worry if he's too busy but if he does want to come down then we can pop him on at the end of the second half. The interval will be at about 9ish and he'd probably go on 9.30 - 9.45pm.

Just thought I'd give all the info, just in case. Let us know if he's up for it and hopefully we'll see him tomorrow at The Albany....No worries if not.

 I went to bed that night knowing I had done my best and I slept like a baby (I always sleep like a baby but that night I slept like a baby who was well tired)

The next day I awoke to my phone ringing - An act was pulling out! WHAT!!!!  Oh for god's sake!  When your phone rings on show day, you know it's because something's going wrong.  'Keep calm' I screamed to myself and went dowstairs to check my myspace and there it was:

From: Rhys Darby
Date: 08 Apr 2008, 11:12


Yeah, that would be great if he can do tonight. He will be with you around 9 - 9.15.

Thanks

Rosie (Mrs Darby)

 OH MY GOD!!!! I got him.  He was coming to do my show.  I rang Sister with massive laugh who whooped down the phone with me.  WE GOT HIM!

That was it, I was on a role, rearranging the show, doubting my own performance, baking and icing my buns, packing my bags and then.....my phone beeped.

At 16.15, Rosie text me - Rhys had to get up really early the next day to film a scene that needed a lot of preparation. So sorry to let you down but he won't be able to make it.
Oh the fall from above.  My heart sank.  I was leaving the house in 5 minutes and everything suddenly didn't look so rosie (pardon the pun).  I text Sister with massive laugh.  I sat on my bed and phoned The Boy who likes Marmite who said this is what happens when you get Hollywood stars involved.

Oh well. 
We move on. 
5 hours though. 
That's how long we had him for and those 5 hours of excitement, anticipation and pure joy where amazing - I'd do it all again if I had to.

Love
matt's little sister xxx