D2

The Horne Section's Podcast edition.

I didn't think I'd be able to make this, but somehow five tickets were released by the Leicester Square Theatre this afternoon so I was able to watch from the fifth row (at extreme house right).

In two halves (to make two episodes): of the first Lucia Keskin, who I had not heard of, but at only 25 haass won a BAFTA for her sitcom Things You Should Have Done. She was awful. By her own admission, not a lot of stage experience (in either standup or acting) and it showed. At first I suspected she was doing a bit a la Sam Campbell or Lucy Beaumont, but instead it just became clear that she was just going to block all the offers, not engage with the format, and be actually confused by what was happening.

Of the second, Reece Shearsmith(!), and he was terrific. A much jollier man than one might expect. I have less to say about this half just because it was so enjoyable. Alas, it seems about 15% of the house were sufficiently turned off by the first half that they did not remain for the second.

Interesting to me that someone (i.e., Alex Horne) who on the one had is so massively successful (Taskmaster is up to something like 20 international editions, each one resulting in Daddy Horne getting a payday, and just signed a contract to do the original up to Series 28 or something like that) is still doing midsized shows (LST holds ~350) at not outrageous prices (£24.50). The comedy scene really is completely different here.

For the first time I voted early at my local Elections Canada office. It was very straightforward, finding the place was the hardest part. Based on the number of envelopes in the bin, it looks like I was the second person to do so.

When voting early, there's no pre-printed ballot, so they give you a list and have you write in the name of your preferred candidate. The the ballot goes in one envelope with no identifying markings, and then in a second where you sign it to confirm it's provisional, etc.

All in all a quick and painless process. I doubt that my lone ballot will influence the outcome (University-Rosedale is solidly Liberal federally), but at least I can say I did my civic duty.

I can't go to Nadia's funeral because I'll be in England. I would have gone otherwise, though.

I'll send a card. I'm up Friday for "Back to the Lounge" and someone there will be able to take it for me. It's feeble, but it's what I've got. Of course, now I have to write something in that card, and the thing is that it has to strike the right balance between sharing something meaningful while also not making it about myself. And when I framed it like that, I knew how to start it.

Nadia was for me always a great role model: confident without being arrogant, endlessly competent, and above all selfless, seeking success for others but not glory or the spotlight. I don't particularly concern myself with external validation, but I will always remember the feeling of pride when Nadia nodded at me as an equal at the afterparty of my first big job with her. Only then did I know that I had probably done a good job.

I wish for a world of Nadias, where we get on with the job before we start yapping, everyone's got their flashlight, and we keep our damn feet off the seats.