Early in his career the comedian Duggie Brown sought my advice about a falling-out that he had had with a pantomime producer. The rift was to do with Duggie’s inability in rehearsal to resist the lure of the unscripted wisecrack.
He told me he had been working a circuit of 25 clubs, meaning he would play each club twice a year.
“That sounds like hard work,” I said, “having to work up original material twice a year.”
“Original material?” exclaimed Duggie, going into true standup mode. “They don’t come to hear original material. I changed my material once, and a bloke grabbed me in the bar afterwards and said ‘I’ve brought my auntie all the way from Accrington, and you’ve changed your bloody act.’”
