#135 Improv whirligig
Cryptics. Craft. Beats. Chok. Jordan.
9 OCTOBER 2024
Once more, I return.
And hello to all the new readers who have joined the Pretend Post after the wonderful Gather festival in Ireland. It was a pleasure to meet and improvise with you all.
What a thoroughly life-affirming experience.
I’m off to Oslo next week, so this newsletter is a brief pitstop at home before I’m flung back into the international improv whirligig.
Thanks for reading.
PS - And a particular thank you to the surprisingly high number of you who wrote back to enthuse about Scrub Daddy products. Brilliant Berlin-based improviser Carl Clancy even went so far as to link to a video documenting the company’s history.
Rule of three
[Puzzle] Cryptic crosswords
I could never do cryptic crosswords. They made no sense and felt a bit smug somehow. But thanks to the genius that is Tom Mathias - I’m now having a whale of a time decoding them. As Tom says:
There's so much to get out of cryptics, but they're set up to fail with the alienation, the feeling of trying to play a game that no-one has explained the rules for. Solving a good clue sets off a little firework in your brain, so I hope anyone curious gets interested and that everyone feels they can now give them a try and have fun with them.
To this end, Tom has generously provided a version of his cryptic crossword primer for readers of the Pretend Post. He is truly a
Person of fine character needed for IVF (4,3)
[Book] The Craft sequence
I enjoy a spot of grand fantasy world building as much as the next nerd and Max Gladstone’s Craft Sequence is a shining example. His realm is alive with great ideas - magical lawyers who ride lightning, vampire pirates and whole cities powered by dead gods. I’ve only read the first one Three Parts Dead but if you like this sort of thing, there are lots more of them.
[Music] Ela Minus
Can’t beat some floaty Björk-alike vocals over a dreamy electronic beat. I’ve had BROKEN by Ela Minus on repeat since I heard it on the radio (not my dog, the actual radio).
Spotlight
This week, I’m pointing you towards a brilliant double-bill by my friends Vera Chok and Jennifer Jordan. They are both such incredible performers and human beings. I hope some of you will be able to support them.
Vera writes:
I am THRILLED to invite you to witness, for ONE night only, the work-in-progress showing of my comedy solo show
ANGRY YELLOW WOMAN - a funny show by a foreign idiot
My aim? To be the most Me I can be. It combines everything I know about clowning and stand-up with a strong dollop of Chok chaos.
And because it's Halloween month, I'll throw in some ghosties. Not just any old ghosts, but MALAYSIAN boos. Do not google them ahead of time!
Content note: Adult humour, absurdist observations, and dogs.
The evening is a double bill with Jennifer Jordan, actor & maker extraordinaire. Her show, 3 MINUTES INSIDE MY BRAIN, will be a delight.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK TICKETS ONLINE
10% off discount code: BRAIN10
When: Saturday 26th October
Time: 7pm (NOT 7.30pm)
Where: Omnibus Theatre
Running time for each show approx. 55 mins..
Longform thoughts
Have you ever had that feeling? You’re flying high, you finally feel you’ve attained a degree of mastery in your chosen sphere and then a series of small incidents conspire to bring you down to earth with a bump?
Find out what I do When improv taketh away.
Radio contact
Radio catches the last rays of summer.