Desperate Comedy
Those Desperate Fishwives were back in action last night and, for the first time, I actually got the chance to see them live on stage. A train from Inverness , a quick rendezvous with Jemma Rodgers (³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Scotland's new comedy supremo) and then a mad dash to the Aberdeen Arts Centre meant we even had time to mingle with some local legends tahnks to some pre-show hospitality laid on by the theatre's managers.
Former colleagie Jane Franchi spotted me immediately and lost no tell in telling me that she had been a fan of the Desperate Fishwives long before ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Scotland discovered them.
"Of course we know them as the Flying Pigs, " she explained as she described how their normal stage show is much more visual and animated than what we ask them to do for radio.
Next person to catch my eye was our very own Robbie Shepherd who often finds himself the butt of the Fishwives' jokes. He only had one complaint. The portray him as an eccentric character with a love of a paritculat brand of blended whisky.
"I don't drink that paraffin," he declared, before revealing his favourite Malt.
And then there was Buff Hardie, yes he of Scotland The What fame, whose son one of the Fishwife boys. Like I say, local legends at every turn.
As we were led to our seats Jemma found herself rubbing shoulderS with Aberdeen's Provost who kept a careful eye on us during the performance just to make sure we were laughing in all the right places and understanding the local dialect and references.
I reckoned about ten percent of the material was lost on me - the Glaswegian living in Inverness - while Jemma - who hails from that England - said her drop-out rate was a bit higher.
"But it's just like being in New York, " I said, "and hearing gags about the Bronx and New Jersey. You don't quite get all of it, but you pick it up from the context."
Jemma agreed.
And the show had many, many laugh-out-loud, tear-wiping moments. I promise you.
And the best news?
We were recording it all for the radio and you'll be able to hear five brand new episodes of Desperate Fishwives in the week leading up to Christmas, including a special Christmas Day episode too.
Do look out for 'Robbie Shepherd' as the shopping centre Santa!
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