Entertaining the Youts

I have this terrible inability to cope with one thing at a time. If I have several things to do in one day I tend to flit around them like a moth on a disco ball, doing little bits of each until eventually one gets done then I have a cup of tea, wander off and panic several hours later when I remember all the other stuff I've left over. Today is a day where I need to somehow compartmentalise my brain or there'll be various issues ahead. Tonight is the first Fat Tuesday back in 2011. Quite easy stuff. I'm so used to compereing that show and throwing in some new material, that it should be a breeze right? Well, normally yes. But before that I'm doing warm up for the new Dick and Dom show for around four hours to two large groups of school children. Already you can see where the crossover's might mess things up. If I tell the kids my jokes about the economy contracting and rock up to FT making people do their favourite animal noises, the whole thing will fall apart.

I'm feeling oddly nervous about having to entertain kids. Its something I do on a regular basis but never for more than an hour. Stand-up won't work for more than an hour. I'm going to have to devise games, banter and all sorts of stuff to keep them awake and laughing. Thing is, I can't get it out of my brain that the only thing that kept kids entertained at my school was tag, football, fighting and that time Daniel Marshall fell off his snakeboard in the middle of the playground and everyone saw. I'm not sure just how much of that I can incorporate into a TV studio without getting banned from the premises. I mean, I'll try. I've got my snakeboard packed already and I'm going to look out for the biggest kid to punch once we get started. Then beyond that, its all improvising.

Here is the big problem. Stand-up for kids does completely entertain them for up to an hour. But then, beyond that, their minds go off in all sorts of tangents and would much rather be running around the room doing their own thing. Sometimes I wonder if these shows should be performed to an audience of kids at all, or if they should just draft in very juvenile adults with high pitched voices. You know, like that one in the Krankies. Or Warwick Davies. Not that Warwick Davis is juvenile. But he's a great actor so I'm sure he could pull it off. God, imagine how scary that would be. The camera pans to the crowd who are full of cackling tiny people? Well that's my nightmares sorted for the next few years....

It should be fine though. Up until last night my mind was filled with my old Edinburgh show, which has now been discarded entirely from my mind and that portion of my brain can once again be used for things like useless facts about trifle and words such as discombobulate. Was a lovely last show too and many thanks to all those who came along. Even Rachel who managed to go to the loo just as I was about to do the crux of the entire show. It may have been the last performance but its not the last you'll see of that show. Vague? No thanks I'm trying to give up. Sorry. I mean, there's a vague hint for you, but keep your eyes peeled for things of the Littlest kind coming to an iTunes near you soonish....

Right off to go practice my fart noises and the rules of tag.