0:00:02 > 0:00:07This programme contains strong language
0:00:07 > 0:00:09'I'm Elis James. I'm a stand-up comedian originally from Carmarthen.'
0:00:09 > 0:00:11And that's it.
0:00:14 > 0:00:20Up and coming Welsh stand-up comedian Elis James has been getting the kind of attention
0:00:20 > 0:00:23that other comics would kill for, and he's being tipped for the top.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25The wonderful Elis James!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Please give a big cheer for the fantastic Elis James.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Like all other comedians wanting to make it big,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39his main focus is the annual Edinburgh Festival.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42But with opportunities to write and perform his own radio shows,
0:00:42 > 0:00:45work with some of the biggest names in comedy,
0:00:45 > 0:00:49a side project that's drawing in the crowds,
0:00:49 > 0:00:51and a full calendar of clubs shows,
0:00:51 > 0:00:56will he have enough time to get a new act ready for 2012's Edinburgh Fringe?
0:00:56 > 0:00:59You have to write a new hour of material every year for Edinburgh.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01I currently have between 10 and 11 seconds.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05And what's the cost of living life on the road?
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Do I ever feel lonely on these trips?
0:01:08 > 0:01:12The answer is, categorically, yes. Really dreadfully so.
0:01:12 > 0:01:17This is a year in the life of a budding comedian working towards the Edinburgh Fringe,
0:01:17 > 0:01:21a year when Carmarthen's funniest has to keep them rolling in the aisles
0:01:21 > 0:01:24from Merthyr Tydfil to the Hammersmith Apollo.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27"You're amazing! I'm going to put you in a Hollywood film.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29"I'm going to put you in a sitcom." Yeah!
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Fresh from 2011's Edinburgh festival,
0:01:42 > 0:01:48Elis has been invited to perform his one-hour show at the Harrogate Comedy Festival.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56I've wanted to be involved in the process of comedy for a very long time.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59I remember watching Blackadder with Dad when I was a teenager,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03and I remember thinking, "Oh, I'd quite like to be involved in this."
0:02:03 > 0:02:07I liked messing around at school and making my friends laugh,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09but also I think I took it too seriously,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11so whereas everyone else would think,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14"Oh, that was funny when Elis drew a penis on a chalkboard.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16"That was really, really great."
0:02:16 > 0:02:19But then I would go home and think,
0:02:19 > 0:02:23"But why was it funny? Why a penis? Why a chalkboard?"
0:02:23 > 0:02:28Being a prima donna, I usually prefer, um,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30a mic with a lead.
0:02:30 > 0:02:31Is that OK?
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Oh, brilliant. Cheers. Yeah, this is nice. I like this.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38And also, and I think this is the crucial one,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41I was awful at every job I ever had.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46So you could argue that I'm a comedian because I couldn't do anything else.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50I've always had fun in Harrogate, they're a lovely audience,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53erm, but it's the big room. I've always done the small room.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57I've never done the main room in the theatre before,
0:02:57 > 0:02:59so I feel a little bit under more pressure,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Anyway, I'll see you on the other side.
0:03:02 > 0:03:03- COMPERE:- Mr Elis James!
0:03:03 > 0:03:05CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:03:05 > 0:03:09I'm strangely drawn to you, sir. I don't know why that is.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12- What's your name, my friend?- Gary. - Gary. OK, that's a good, proper name.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16You're not called Mitsubishi Chicane or any of that sort of nonsense.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18And what do you do for a living, Gary.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21- I'm a police officer. - You're a police officer?
0:03:21 > 0:03:22LAUGHTER
0:03:24 > 0:03:25Now, I'm looking around,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29and...I think that the majority of this audience -
0:03:29 > 0:03:35slightly too young to feel the sort of withering resentment that I feel towards you,
0:03:35 > 0:03:36but it'll come.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38'So the way it works in modern comedy
0:03:38 > 0:03:42'is that you do lots of open spots where you're not paid,
0:03:42 > 0:03:44'and the audience seem to hate you,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46'and they're not sure why they're there.'
0:03:46 > 0:03:49And then you do this for a very, very long time,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53and then you become quite depressed, and you wonder why you're doing it.
0:03:53 > 0:03:54But then if you stick at it,
0:03:54 > 0:03:56'and you write material that's better,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00'eventually you're offered gigs that may be a tenner or twenty quid,
0:04:00 > 0:04:01'or they might offer you petrol money.'
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Welsh is my first language, right, a really cool language to speak,
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Are there any Welsh-speakers in the room?
0:04:08 > 0:04:11I mean, it was, it was always a long shot.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15'A better comedian than you might put a word in and say,
0:04:15 > 0:04:16"You should book Elis."
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Then you'll be on a proper bill where people paid to come in,
0:04:19 > 0:04:22all the comics are paid, and you might get to do ten minutes.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25'You're always chipping away. It's like an apprenticeship, I suppose.'
0:04:25 > 0:04:29Thank you very much for having me. I'm Elis James. Cheers, good night.
0:04:29 > 0:04:30APPLAUSE
0:04:32 > 0:04:36With his calendar full of performances,
0:04:36 > 0:04:38and a new Edinburgh show to write,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41it's straight back to the hotel for an early night for Elis.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44And life on the road isn't always fun.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Do I ever feel lonely on these trips?
0:04:46 > 0:04:50The answer is, categorically, yes. Really dreadfully so.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56It's nice, though, I've got a cameraman to talk to because
0:04:56 > 0:04:58it is the best job in the world.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02But it's not the best in terms of, you know, hanging out with people.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Thank you to the people of Harrogate, good night.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Squeezed between the comedy shows are writing sessions
0:05:14 > 0:05:15with Gareth Gwyn and Ben Partridge,
0:05:15 > 0:05:19for The Pantheon Of Heroes, Elis's first ever radio comedy show.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Pantheon Of Heroes is a radio show that I'm writing with Ben and Gareth.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26We realised that the Western Mail and Wales On Sunday,
0:05:26 > 0:05:27if there's a slow news day,
0:05:27 > 0:05:31they tend to try and work out who the greatest Welshman of all time is,
0:05:31 > 0:05:33the 100 best Welsh people ever list.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36We thought, "Why don't we finally put this issue to bed?"
0:05:36 > 0:05:39So we came up with this idea, thought it was really funny,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42gave it to a producer at Radio Wales. He said, "Leave this with me."
0:05:42 > 0:05:46I forgot about it and two and a half years later, he called me up,
0:05:46 > 0:05:47"We've got a series, El!"
0:05:47 > 0:05:50So then we had to spring into action and write it.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52What is it they say in films, bring it back to life,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54what's one of those ultimatum things?
0:05:56 > 0:05:59"Bring Um Bongo back and you'll be a hero.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02"We might name the British Empire after you."
0:06:02 > 0:06:04I'm really enjoying it,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06I've never had a radio show commissioned before,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09so it's been it's been hard work, lot of work,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11writing six 30-minute episodes,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14It's taken longer than I thought it would,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17but, yeah, I'm really, really pleased with the finished product,
0:06:17 > 0:06:18Well, fingers crossed.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24With the ink drying on a new script, it's over to a Bristol comedy club,
0:06:24 > 0:06:28where Elis is sharing a bill with friend and mentor Rhod Gilbert,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31who's trying out new material for an upcoming TV recording.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Rhod Gilbert doing stretches.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35LAUGHTER
0:06:37 > 0:06:40This is normal backstage behaviour.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42- Ellis mocking me. - Pacing, me mocking Tom.
0:06:42 > 0:06:48It's a sort of real sorcerer and the apprentice relationship between us.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50- So, yeah...- Ellis is the saucer.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54I'm the... Yeah, sorcerer, not saucer and the apprentice!
0:06:54 > 0:06:56ELIS LAUGHS
0:06:56 > 0:06:59He is like a saucer. He's never seen without a cup of tea, as it goes.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02- Yeah. - That is true. Look, there he is.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Just finished it.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Whatever any other contributors on this documentary say,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09I think he's quite good.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12- You're Graham Gooch and I'm Ian Botham.- Yeah.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15So you'll score more runs than I will,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17but I'm here as the entertainer.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Was that the clue?
0:07:21 > 0:07:22HE LAUGHS
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Start whooping, start hollering...
0:07:26 > 0:07:28CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:07:28 > 0:07:30CHEERING DROWNS SPEECH
0:07:36 > 0:07:39'I supported Rhod on three of his tours
0:07:39 > 0:07:42'so we've done loads of gigs with each other,'
0:07:42 > 0:07:47but he had come off the circuit and started touring under his own steam,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49by the time I started.
0:07:49 > 0:07:55So this sort of thing where he's just doing a normal weekend comedy club is a real rarity.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:08:02 > 0:08:05I'm very, very pleased to be here mainly cos,
0:08:05 > 0:08:07like Rhod, I'm from Wales.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10And, as a consequence, my expectation levels are exceptionally low.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14For instance, I love football and I love the World Cup.
0:08:14 > 0:08:20Wales haven't qualified for the World Cup since 1958.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Thank you. I'll just put that into perspective for the younger people.
0:08:23 > 0:08:271958 - that is prior to the invention of the duvet.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29LAUGHTER
0:08:29 > 0:08:30'I worked until I was 25,'
0:08:30 > 0:08:33when there was an open mic night in Cardiff,
0:08:33 > 0:08:35and a friend of mine pushed me forward,
0:08:35 > 0:08:37and I was forced into doing five minutes.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40All my housemates came at 7.50. They said, "You nervous, El?"
0:08:40 > 0:08:42I said, "I'm fine!" Then at 7.58, I said,
0:08:42 > 0:08:46"Right, you've got to leave! You've got to go to another pub!
0:08:46 > 0:08:48"There's absolutely no way on earth!
0:08:48 > 0:08:50"It's totally unfeasible that you watch this!"
0:08:50 > 0:08:54So I walk them out of the pub to another pub halfway down the street,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57and said, "Sit there and I will come and get you when I'm happy to do so."
0:08:57 > 0:09:00So I did the gig and there was about four or five people there.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04So the gig, for a first ever gig, went quite well and I'm thinking,
0:09:04 > 0:09:07"I'll probably be a millionaire, certainly by Christmas."
0:09:07 > 0:09:13I had no idea it would be three and a half years of gigs in pubs in front of five people.
0:09:13 > 0:09:19The change came when I was earning almost enough to be a comedian,
0:09:19 > 0:09:21but I still worked in a coffee shop.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25Then the owner of the coffee shop did me a massive favour by selling it,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28which gave me the kick up the backside that I needed,
0:09:28 > 0:09:30because if he hadn't sold the coffee shop,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34then I would probably still be there!
0:09:34 > 0:09:37But my mochaccinos would be immense.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39APPLAUSE
0:09:41 > 0:09:43- COMPERE:- The wonderful Elis James.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Elis is supporting Stephen Merchant, co-creator of The Office and Extras,
0:09:52 > 0:09:54on a national tour throughout the winter,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57and it's brought him to one of the most iconic venues in comedy -
0:09:57 > 0:10:00the Hammersmith Apollo.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Well, I got asked to support Stephen in September.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05I was initially really, really pleased,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07just because he was a sort hero of mine,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10although he'd be really embarrassed, I think, if he hears me say that.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15Then I looked at his tour itinerary and realised he was doing all these nights at the Apollo,
0:10:15 > 0:10:18and I never thought that I would be playing the Apollo.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21But now we're here, I don't know how I feel yet.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24It's a bi-word, it's shorthand, I think,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27that comedians or even normal people would use,
0:10:27 > 0:10:32to imply successful and, uh, massive, and a big deal.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34But they are there to see Stephen.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38They're not there to see me, so it is slightly harder for me, I think,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40cos no-one will know who I am.
0:10:41 > 0:10:46But what does the star of the show make of Elis' performances on the tour?
0:10:46 > 0:10:47Do you want to give me a quick appraisal?
0:10:47 > 0:10:48Well, let me be honest with you,
0:10:48 > 0:10:53I always stay for the first few minutes of your show,
0:10:53 > 0:10:56because I like to get a sense of sort of what the...
0:10:56 > 0:10:59How the crowd are and how you're interacting with them, you know.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02I like to see you do an improv with them. That's great.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04And then I just, and then I don't watch the rest of the show.
0:11:04 > 0:11:09- It makes me jumpy to watch, to watch...- A hip young gun slinger.
0:11:09 > 0:11:14- Yes, a hip young gun slinger doing his act.- A gun for hire.- Right.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19I think to myself if I, what if I don't get the laughs that are of comparable size to you?
0:11:19 > 0:11:23My other fear is subconsciously absorbing
0:11:23 > 0:11:26jokes, ideas, mannerisms, stuff like that.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29- My idiom.- I don't watch comedy at home any more because
0:11:29 > 0:11:32I'm so fearful of sort of subconsciously taking it in.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35That is very interesting, that.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38I'm the opposite. I watch only comedy,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41because I want to know the ideas that have already happened.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45I think the danger with that is that you end up not speaking from the heart.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48You end up speaking based on, as you say,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50what perceived niches you think you can find,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52and I just think in a way,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55so what if someone's spoken about a subject before?
0:11:55 > 0:11:59It's like people get criticised for another rom-com.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Sorry, when does romance and love and relationships
0:12:02 > 0:12:07not become sort of a valid subject for a film or whatever, you know what I mean?
0:12:07 > 0:12:10It's like saying we can't have another crime thriller.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12So are you taking this opportunity to thank me
0:12:12 > 0:12:14for the extraordinary opportunity that you've been given?
0:12:14 > 0:12:20I would like to, yeah I would like to say, Stephen Merchant, erm,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22I'd like to think that we've become close.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Hmm, yeah I understand what you're saying,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27for the purposes of the camera then yeah, definitely.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31If you've seen this guy before, you'll know how amazing he is.
0:12:31 > 0:12:32If you haven't, you're in for an absolute treat,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Guys, please go wild and crazy for the fantastic Elis James.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Hello!
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Oh dear oh dear oh dear, Hello! Hello!
0:12:48 > 0:12:49ALL: Hello!
0:12:49 > 0:12:50Yes, that's more like it!
0:12:50 > 0:12:54Hi, my name's Elis. Are we all ready to rock like it's a Wednesday night?
0:12:54 > 0:12:56LAUGHTER
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Very, very pleased to be here, mainly because I'm from Wales,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03er, as a consequence, yes it means my expectation levels
0:13:03 > 0:13:05are exceptionally low.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11I love football and I love the World Cup. Wales haven't qualified for the World Cup
0:13:11 > 0:13:16since 1958 that is prior to the invention of the duvet.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18LAUGHTER
0:13:18 > 0:13:24I've got a new bit about an olive and it's my newest bit of material,
0:13:24 > 0:13:28and it's one of those that makes people go ha ha ha ha ha,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30because it's a sort of laughter of recognition thing.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34I don't think there's anything quite as boring as someone you don't know
0:13:34 > 0:13:38sat on your table at a wedding takes the time to tell you
0:13:38 > 0:13:40about how they used to not like olives.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43LAUGHTER
0:13:43 > 0:13:45So in a room of 50,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48not enough people will recognise it whereas in a room of 3,000,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51enough will initially get the joke to be laughing and then
0:13:51 > 0:13:58it's thought-provoking to the other hundreds of people and then they think about it,
0:13:58 > 0:14:04and then they get it, so you get this brilliant rolling laugh,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07which is my favourite type of laugh I think. What am I meant to say to this?
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Because you can't switch it round. You're at a wedding. You can't go,
0:14:11 > 0:14:15"It's funny actually because I use to love breast milk."
0:14:15 > 0:14:17LAUGHTER
0:14:19 > 0:14:23Elis was brought up in Carmarthen, and the small market town has
0:14:23 > 0:14:25left its stamp on his comedy and his personality.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29The town you can see behind me is Carmarthen,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32AKA centre of the universe, where I grew up.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35One of the reasons why I took you filming up here was
0:14:35 > 0:14:38because I was too embarrassed to do it in town in case somebody I
0:14:38 > 0:14:41knew from school shouted, "Elis, what you filming, what's wrong with you?
0:14:41 > 0:14:44"What you filming for, why've you got a friend? Who do you think you are?"
0:14:44 > 0:14:46I think I do have quite a Welsh sense of humour
0:14:46 > 0:14:49I think that comes from being brought up here.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53Carmarthen is a great place for comedy because it's big enough
0:14:53 > 0:14:55so that you're not board,
0:14:55 > 0:15:01but it's small enough so you get to know the characters.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05The weirdo who'd walk round town with a plastic bags in his plastic bags,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08humming the theme to Magnum PI,
0:15:08 > 0:15:12everybody knew him and you didn't get on the bus if he was on it.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14One of the reasons why I wouldn't do a gig in Carmarthen is
0:15:14 > 0:15:16because if I told a true story,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18that had changed a little bit in my memory,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21one of my biggest nightmares is that I'd say,
0:15:21 > 0:15:25I was walking down the street and someone from the audience would go,
0:15:26 > 0:15:27"No, you weren't you were on the bus",
0:15:27 > 0:15:30and then we'd have this bizarre sort of dialogue
0:15:30 > 0:15:33as to whether my story, I don't know,
0:15:33 > 0:15:38a cricket ball or urinating in a swimming pool is actually historically accurate or not.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44Whilst others are preparing for the biggest party of the year,
0:15:44 > 0:15:48it's another night's work for Elis, with a New Year's Eve performance
0:15:48 > 0:15:51at Cardiff's Glee Club, a place where he cut his comedy teeth.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55The first time I did the Glee I was so nervous I was sick beforehand
0:15:55 > 0:15:58and trembling actually, whereas now I feel so at home here.
0:15:58 > 0:15:59It feels good to know that I am one of the acts
0:15:59 > 0:16:04they would go to for New Year's Eve and I can walk on stage
0:16:04 > 0:16:06and feel like I know what I'm doing to an extent.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08I would do it every week if I could.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11Well, I've got a new bit of material it's my 10 to 11 seconds
0:16:11 > 0:16:14on the Welsh love affair with artex,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17which seemingly doesn't stretch across the Severn Bridge.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21I didn't see a smooth ceiling until I went away to university.
0:16:21 > 0:16:26I was at freshers' week, Bristol University and I'm like, "What the hell is that?
0:16:26 > 0:16:29"Ceiling is smooth. I don't understand it."
0:16:29 > 0:16:33That's a joke I can make a reference in Cardiff but I've only done it
0:16:33 > 0:16:36here a couple of times, and people go yeah and I tried it
0:16:36 > 0:16:40once in north London and people were like, "Don't know what you're talking about,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43"but I've heard of artex, but I would never have it in my house."
0:16:43 > 0:16:47With the audience lapping it up,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51thoughts turn to 2012's big challenge at the Edinburgh Festival,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54and whether there'll be enough time to get the show written.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58You have to write a new hour of material for Edinburgh.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00I currently have between 10 and 11 seconds.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04It's December 31st, so I've got just about eight months.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08That's the thing I think about last thing at night just before I go
0:17:08 > 0:17:12to sleep is the idea that in the past I've always been able to use material
0:17:12 > 0:17:15from other Edinburgh shows I was able to change or
0:17:15 > 0:17:20shape in a different way, but this is the first year I've got nothing
0:17:20 > 0:17:24so it's starting from scratch is quite daunting, quite a daunting prospect.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27RAUCOUS SINGING
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Whilst a hit Edinburgh show remains to be written,
0:17:30 > 0:17:35Elis ups the ante by agreeing to take a side project to the festival as well.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41Elis has been performing in the Committee Meeting with Chris Corcoran and Vern Griffiths
0:17:41 > 0:17:44over the past three years at a venue in Pontypridd.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Today, they're trying out the show in Merthyr,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50in the hope that it could make the trip north to Edinburgh.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Wow, where's the stage?
0:17:58 > 0:18:02Are the punters sat in a pew, like they were going to chapel?
0:18:02 > 0:18:04So they're not sat on the floor?
0:18:04 > 0:18:08Well, they can be. They can have them, they can stack them from here apparently.
0:18:08 > 0:18:15If you put all the punters there, and the choir there, and we were like here.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18It's an incredible venue, isn't it?
0:18:18 > 0:18:22The Committee Meeting is a show that was devised by Chris,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26but he was using characters I'd done on the Rhod Gilbert show with him.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Rex is like a 100-year-old Valleys sort of caretaker.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32He's based on my grandfather and people my grandfather knew,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35very nice but quite sweet and innocent, naive people.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39The audience are committee members and it's a committee meeting
0:18:39 > 0:18:41so it follows like a meeting's agenda.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44I've never been to this theatre in Merthyr,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47so I don't know what to expect, but it's a converted chapel
0:18:47 > 0:18:49so it's a fantastic, so I think it will suit the show.
0:18:49 > 0:18:55I like this big mirror though it's sort of Pineapple Dance Studios feel to it
0:18:55 > 0:18:58or it makes me feel like I'm in Fame.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02Doing it in a new venue is weird because it does feel really different,
0:19:02 > 0:19:04like Elis is coming in from the other side today,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07and he normally comes in from the right and he's coming in from the left.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11We've had tonnes of fun now doing it in Wales and you know
0:19:11 > 0:19:16we just think that there's a good Edinburgh show in this as well.
0:19:16 > 0:19:17What exactly was it?
0:19:17 > 0:19:22Cos I've never seen clothes like that before, and it couldn't be anything sensible to wear
0:19:22 > 0:19:24cos there was a hole right in the gusset...
0:19:24 > 0:19:26'It is flying by the seat of our pants,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29It's one o'clock, the show's at eight and I don't know it yet.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31I will know it. I'm sure it'll be fine,
0:19:31 > 0:19:32It always is fine.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34APPLAUSE
0:19:35 > 0:19:38- How old are you?- 15.- 15?
0:19:38 > 0:19:39Oh.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42LAUGHTER
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Take off some of these jokes.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Can't do that one, can't do that one.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51- Oh, great(!) And are you 15 as well?- No.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53- How old are you?- 14.
0:19:53 > 0:19:54LAUGHTER
0:19:59 > 0:20:03Well, we're doing The Committee in Edinburgh which is a very Welsh show
0:20:03 > 0:20:06and it's set in Wales and we've only ever performed it in Wales.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10So our first gig in Edinburgh will be our first gig ever outside of the South Wales area,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13so I am concerned that it's too Welsh.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17There are definitely things about Welshness that don't cross the border
0:20:17 > 0:20:21in terms of comedic references,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25but certainly I think that was a problem for some Welsh comedians
0:20:25 > 0:20:28in days gone by, that their material was too Welsh-centric
0:20:28 > 0:20:32in a way that I don't think Scottish or Irish comedians suffered from.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36ALl right? All right. How's it going? Not too bad.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40- This is the new members in Merthyr, the committee meeting.- Look like pricks.
0:20:40 > 0:20:41LAUGHTER
0:20:41 > 0:20:45Some of them are quite nice and two of them are fifteen.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48In fact this could be a really interesting section for you.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52Yeah, cos I probably know you from school cos I'm a schoolboy.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55'How am I going to find time to perfect this'
0:20:55 > 0:21:00when I'm trying to write an Edinburgh show of solo stand-up?
0:21:00 > 0:21:02I probably won't find the time,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05and I would imagine that one of them will go very badly.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12With the Edinburgh Show in development, Elis has commitments
0:21:12 > 0:21:14with his previous one hour of stand-up.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16Before he goes on stage for his London performance,
0:21:16 > 0:21:21he's off to his management offices to see the posters for the upcoming Edinburgh shows.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25I'm at the Phil McIntyre Entertainments office.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Phil McIntyre look after lots of different people.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31They look after Caroline Aherne, who wrote The Royle Family
0:21:31 > 0:21:34and they look after Ben Elton.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36John Cleese as well
0:21:36 > 0:21:38and lots of people at my sort of level.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44You've got my poster, which I've not seen yet.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53- It's clear.- I like it.- I'd change that to match this so I'd take that to grey rather than yellow.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Do you prefer it to that one? I'm not sure any more.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58I prefer that one. It's clearer.
0:21:58 > 0:21:59I do, too.
0:21:59 > 0:22:05Cos I'm wearing a suit, I'm not writing cheques that I can't cash.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06THEY LAUGH
0:22:06 > 0:22:10Nobody's going to think... Nobody's going to think,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13"I want this guy to be talking about the financial crisis or..."
0:22:13 > 0:22:16I think that is in keeping with the title.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18That's not true, either, is it?
0:22:18 > 0:22:21I've now just got the fear. Whenever I get posters made,
0:22:21 > 0:22:28that the day we take the photo, "It's the best idea for a poster anyone's ever had!"
0:22:28 > 0:22:31Then it gets made and I think, "Oh, God, I've made a massive mistake!"
0:22:31 > 0:22:34- No, it looks brilliant.- It looks really good.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37How many of these will be made for Edinburgh?
0:22:37 > 0:22:40There's thousands of flyers.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44If you think about it, that's your advert in every single Fringe guide.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47- Great.- Yeah!
0:22:48 > 0:22:53Meeting over. It's time to cross to one of London's main comedy venues.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57The Soho Theatre stages a pick of shows from the previous year's Edinburgh.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01It's THE place where many in the media come to spot talent.
0:23:01 > 0:23:06A few London theatres do this but the Soho Theatre in particular, they scout in Edinburgh,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09they see shows that they like.
0:23:09 > 0:23:15I'm told that they're the gigs that the comedy industry go to.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17You're looking very...happy.
0:23:19 > 0:23:20Are you all right?
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Are you OK?
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Yes, I'm fine. I've got a bottle of wine.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26You've got a bottle of wine?!
0:23:26 > 0:23:27Cool! Where are you from?
0:23:27 > 0:23:29- Trinidad and Tobago. - Trinidad and Tobago?
0:23:29 > 0:23:33You are going to love my cultural references.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Have you been to Llanelli?
0:23:36 > 0:23:39You talk differently to your teachers at school,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42to someone who is giving you a job interview
0:23:42 > 0:23:43or to your mates in a pub.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47If I was doing a gig in Altringham, I would never go on stage and go
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Ammanford, Brynamman, Llandeilo.
0:23:50 > 0:23:51Hilarious.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55Obviously, I'll tone down references to Llanelli
0:23:55 > 0:23:57at tonight's gig in Soho.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59That's no disrespect to the people of Llanelli.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01I love the Turks.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06It's just.. That's the reality of performing all over the country.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Thank you very much for coming. I'm Eli James.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:24:13 > 0:24:16I didn't throw myself into it as much tonight. I don't know why.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20I want to do it again. I want to go back out.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Now that I'm warmed up, I want to go out there and...
0:24:22 > 0:24:24HE CLICKS HIS FINGERS
0:24:24 > 0:24:26..and do the whole thing again and start again
0:24:26 > 0:24:29and right some of the wrongs from the start,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32which I'm quite annoyed with.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Despite needing to write new material,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Elis is still touring with his previous hour of stand-up.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47The demands of touring, developing the next Edinburgh show
0:24:47 > 0:24:52and several writing commitments are starting to take their toll.
0:24:52 > 0:24:53God, I feel awful.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56But there's still enough petrol in the tank to pick up
0:24:56 > 0:24:58some new ideas during the sound check.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01I would like those lights on. Do they all work?
0:25:01 > 0:25:06- Er, no.- So those ones that don't work, erm, they're not going to start
0:25:06 > 0:25:09flashing in a minute, they're just...
0:25:09 > 0:25:11No, they're just blown.
0:25:11 > 0:25:12ELIS LAUGHS
0:25:15 > 0:25:17With an expectant audience to please,
0:25:17 > 0:25:21it's time to get energy and inspiration from wherever you can find it.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23Look at this for glamour!
0:25:23 > 0:25:24LAUGHTER
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Look at that! I love that.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28My favourite thing about this is that
0:25:28 > 0:25:31when we did the sound check earlier on, I said to the er,
0:25:31 > 0:25:35I said to the soundman, I said, "So the bulbs that are currently
0:25:35 > 0:25:39"off - are they flashers, will they flash periodically
0:25:39 > 0:25:41"from time to time?" He went, "Oh, no, no."
0:25:41 > 0:25:43LAUGHTER
0:25:43 > 0:25:48"We're waiting for less than 50% of them to work and then we'll do something about it.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52"But until then it looks like an aesthetic decision."
0:25:52 > 0:25:52LAUGHTER
0:25:52 > 0:25:56That's probably my favourite gig of the tour, I think,
0:25:56 > 0:26:00and I enjoyed it so much that I think yeah, stand-up is brilliant.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03There are times when you're tired or a gig isn't good,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07or when you have to write new material and that's not going very well,
0:26:07 > 0:26:09that becomes a bit of a chore.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11But when you have written new material,
0:26:11 > 0:26:15and it's better than your old stuff which is always the aim,
0:26:15 > 0:26:19and performing for an audience who like it, that is quite a nice feeling that. Yeah.
0:26:23 > 0:26:28A gig in Wales means a quick visit home to Carmarthen,
0:26:28 > 0:26:29and a chance to catch up with the family.
0:26:29 > 0:26:34But for Elis' mother, how does it feel to feature in his routines?
0:26:34 > 0:26:37No, I don't mind at all actually. No, it doesn't bother me at all,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41if somebody, anybody really, talks about me,
0:26:41 > 0:26:47because the stories are true. If they were made-up stories, maybe then you'd think,
0:26:47 > 0:26:52"Oh, that's not right," but because they are true, I've got no defence.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56- Are you going to talk about me a lot this year?- Erm, I don't know.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58I've not started it yet.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01It might be a good idea to have a look through the albums,
0:27:01 > 0:27:03because then you can remind yourself of things that happened.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05That's a good idea.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08- In fact, I'm not very shockable. - ELIS LAUGHS
0:27:08 > 0:27:11- I don't get shocked at things. - I've got an awful thing to tell you.
0:27:11 > 0:27:16No, honestly. I don't get shocked and I don't get embarrassed about things, either.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19So it really goes right over my hear, yeah.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26The Edinburgh Fringe is the pinnacle of the comedy year.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29With over 2,500 different shows in over 200 venues,
0:27:29 > 0:27:34the creative energy and competition for audiences can be seen on every corner.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37But the reality of Edinburgh is sharing cramped spaces
0:27:37 > 0:27:40with other performers and their props in tiny basements,
0:27:40 > 0:27:44or in the case of The Committee Meeting, the back of a portakabin.
0:27:44 > 0:27:49It is a portakabin and we are sharing facilities with another 12 acts,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52so it's not the Hammersmith Apollo but that's fine
0:27:52 > 0:27:55because there 2,500 shows on and in comparison with
0:27:55 > 0:27:58most of the shows, this is really great, actually.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02Your chairman for this evening's meeting is Mr Chairman.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05APPLAUSE
0:28:05 > 0:28:09I think it's feeling our way a little bit with the committee...
0:28:09 > 0:28:13It's going well. They're clapping well! Keep going! And stop.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17..because it's so different doing it in Risca to how it is in Edinburgh.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19What's your name?
0:28:19 > 0:28:22- Magnus.- Good old Magnus, oh dear dear dear,
0:28:22 > 0:28:24I knew your great great grandfather.
0:28:24 > 0:28:29- Oh, did you?- What was he called again, erm, Tony? That's the one.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32- That's it Tony, he was a regular at this club.- Oh, yes?- He was.
0:28:32 > 0:28:33He did, he did.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35He's the one who's played along most so far!
0:28:35 > 0:28:39Yes, he's played along so much he's actually put me
0:28:39 > 0:28:41off a little bit. It's incredible.
0:28:41 > 0:28:42LAUGHTER
0:28:42 > 0:28:45When a show beds in really quickly
0:28:45 > 0:28:47and your pleased with how it goes and you can sort of do
0:28:47 > 0:28:51it on autopilot and it's the other one that needs tinkering, and I think
0:28:51 > 0:28:55it's The Committee Meeting that will need tinkering, because erm, because
0:28:55 > 0:29:00it's not stand-up comedy it's not like anything else I can think of.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03The first show of the festival done,
0:29:03 > 0:29:07and Elis has to hot-foot it through the crowds to get to his solo show.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11The Pleasance Courtyard is one of the main comedy venues of the festival,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14but backstage is no less cramped or chaotic.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16The show starts in two and a half minutes,
0:29:16 > 0:29:19as long as I have this I'll be fine but a little showbiz trick,
0:29:19 > 0:29:24check that out so I'm probably not going to be very subtle, Ladies and Gentlemen,
0:29:24 > 0:29:29but yeah I'm excited, I'm nervous, I feel sick, but it's going to be fine.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32APPLAUSE
0:29:32 > 0:29:35- Are you all well? ALL:- Yeah!
0:29:35 > 0:29:41Wednesday night, the funnest of all nights, I think, Good, good.
0:29:41 > 0:29:42The important thing to remember is that there is two and a half thousand shows
0:29:42 > 0:29:44and that's a great thing about it, you could go
0:29:44 > 0:29:49and watch something that's awful but an hour later you could go
0:29:49 > 0:29:51and see the most moving thing
0:29:51 > 0:29:54that's ever happened to you and you don't know.
0:29:54 > 0:29:58The reason, eventually I'm going to have to try some fresh material,
0:29:58 > 0:30:01the reasons is that I've moved in with my girlfriend
0:30:01 > 0:30:03and as a consequence nothing interesting has happened to me
0:30:03 > 0:30:07for two and a half years, literally nothing.
0:30:07 > 0:30:13Last night at the festival we had a night in, Izzy cooked salmon and it was really nice.
0:30:13 > 0:30:14LAUGHTER
0:30:14 > 0:30:17What people don't realise with Edinburgh is that it costs
0:30:17 > 0:30:21the majority of the performers thousands of pounds.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24I could be earning money doing other clubs in London,
0:30:24 > 0:30:27living in my house and not paying rent on another
0:30:27 > 0:30:32flat for a month whilst I'm paying rent on my old flat.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36In the main, the reason comedians are crying into their beer at night
0:30:36 > 0:30:40is that no-one's turned up and they are loosing a fortune.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43I've never lived with a girl before and your part of a team right,
0:30:43 > 0:30:46for instance we went on a night out and she sent me a,
0:30:46 > 0:30:48she's a real tiz, she sent me a text saying, "Hey, El, so sorry not
0:30:48 > 0:30:52"going to have a chance to come back to the flat, so going to have to meet
0:30:52 > 0:30:56"you straight in the pub so please please can you do me a favour,
0:30:56 > 0:31:00"can you bring me a spare panty liner to the pub?" I was like, "No problem.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03"Just call me the fourth emergency service. Let me handle this."
0:31:03 > 0:31:06LAUGHTER
0:31:06 > 0:31:09This is where the comedy industry decamps to for a month
0:31:09 > 0:31:13and it's important to let people know that your still coming up with
0:31:13 > 0:31:14good stuff, and interesting stuff.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17My name's Elis James thanks very much.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:31:20 > 0:31:23That was fun I really enjoyed that, erm, there were probably
0:31:23 > 0:31:28too many friends, which meant they were nicer than a normal audience possibly
0:31:28 > 0:31:33but I really, I didn't know it very well so I had to keep looking at
0:31:33 > 0:31:40my hand but that will come, I forgot a few bits, but erm, that was fun.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43That's what it's meant to be, stand-up is meant to be fun.
0:31:43 > 0:31:45With the first hurdle overcome,
0:31:45 > 0:31:48it's on to the next 90 performances of the festival.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51And with some changes to The Committee Meeting
0:31:51 > 0:31:54still on the cards, there's some unexpected news on day two.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59We have press coming in today and we thought it was tomorrow,
0:31:59 > 0:32:02so there are things that aren't ready,
0:32:02 > 0:32:06so they're going to review a show that isn't finished, which isn't ideal.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10And we found this out at twenty past and the show starts in ten minutes.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14I don't know where he is. Mr Chairman, Mr Chairman!
0:32:14 > 0:32:15Oh, there he is! The man we all know and love.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18- Hello, everybody.- No, no, not "boo"! Do it again. He's an idiot!
0:32:18 > 0:32:19LAUGHTER
0:32:19 > 0:32:20Who booed?
0:32:20 > 0:32:24Reviews are very important - it tells audiences who are humming and ahing.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26This is a good show, you can't explain to them
0:32:26 > 0:32:29if it was a good gig or a bad gig they just review what
0:32:29 > 0:32:32they see in front of them on the night.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34It went as well as it could have done,
0:32:34 > 0:32:37we would have been in a position a fortnight ago to tell
0:32:37 > 0:32:40reviewers not to come in and say the shows not ready, but you
0:32:40 > 0:32:45can't find out at 1.19pm that they're coming in at half one
0:32:45 > 0:32:48and tell them not to go, because they'll do 200 shows a month
0:32:48 > 0:32:50so they've all got spreadsheets of acts they want to see.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54I don't know what they're going to make of it hopefully it's positive
0:32:54 > 0:32:57but as far as we went, I don't think we couldn't have done a better job.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04With another ten shows waiting to use the venue,
0:33:04 > 0:33:07it's on to the Pleasance for stand-up show number two.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10With first-night nerves out of the way,
0:33:10 > 0:33:11and no reviewers in for several days,
0:33:11 > 0:33:17it's a chance to put faith in the new material and to have some fun with the audience.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19Has anyone seen any other shows?
0:33:19 > 0:33:25Oh, animals. Oh you saw my other show. Oh, hiya.
0:33:25 > 0:33:30We had journalist into The Committee Meeting today, and because the shows very brightly lit
0:33:30 > 0:33:33I recognised him and he looked like he wanted to kill himself. Watch out for that review tomorrow.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35That's going to be a lot of...
0:33:35 > 0:33:38ELIS LAUGHS
0:33:38 > 0:33:40In no time at all, Elis hits his stride
0:33:40 > 0:33:42and is having the time of his life.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45Delinquent and sexual? Yeah! What's happened to my Fringe?
0:33:45 > 0:33:48Don't say that, don't say that. I think there's football on.
0:33:48 > 0:33:52Crushing my dreams. We're going on a journey, Dad.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54Is stand-up always this confrontational? I'm going. You're shite. Bye.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57One of her front teeth looked like a farmer's skull.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01That was a lot of fun, I really enjoyed it
0:34:01 > 0:34:05and if they're all that good I'm going to have a lovely time I think.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10But with the first Committee reviews yet to be posted,
0:34:10 > 0:34:13and many more critics and audiences to impress,
0:34:13 > 0:34:15there's a month of hard work ahead of Elis.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18And with all the time and effort invested,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21will Edinburgh lead to bigger and better things?
0:34:26 > 0:34:30Probably I'm going to be asked to be on things like the News Quiz
0:34:30 > 0:34:32on Radio 4 in the next series,
0:34:32 > 0:34:35I'm going to be asked to do the New Zealand comedy festival.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38The high point this year is that Victoria Wood came to my show
0:34:38 > 0:34:41two days ago and said she really liked it,
0:34:41 > 0:34:44she met me after and she said really lovely things.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46And the night before that John Bishop came in.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50I'm pleased because in July the show was a mess,
0:34:50 > 0:34:53and I thought it was going to be a career-ending disaster, this Fringe,
0:34:53 > 0:34:55but I don't think that has been the case at all.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57Despite one initial bad review,
0:34:57 > 0:34:59backstage at the Committee Meeting,
0:34:59 > 0:35:02the atmosphere has changed from the early nerves.
0:35:02 > 0:35:08More kind of relaxed, you're ready early today, aren't you?
0:35:08 > 0:35:11I'm really happy with the way The Committee has turned out.
0:35:11 > 0:35:16It really has changed quite a lot and it had to, that's what Fringe is about.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18You're meant to learn when you're up here otherwise it's pointless coming up here.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22Welcome on stage your chairman for today's meeting, Mr Chairman!
0:35:24 > 0:35:26We were so nervous a month ago, you know,
0:35:26 > 0:35:31full of adrenalin that now, it's just a gig it should be fun.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Corkey does five or six minutes before I come on
0:35:33 > 0:35:36and they all seem up for it so, very pleased with the show,
0:35:36 > 0:35:39I think it should be all right, this.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42Mr Chairman, Mr Chairman? Oh, hello.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44CHEERING All right, very good.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47- Are you all good to go for this one? - I am.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Are you pumped? Your eye's got better.
0:35:49 > 0:35:53My eye's improved, isn't it? Not even bloodshot incredible.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56I'm like Wolverine.
0:35:56 > 0:35:57LAUGHTER
0:35:57 > 0:36:02Ha! The sci-fi fans really revel in that.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05The stars on the posters outside the venue reflect a successful festival,
0:36:05 > 0:36:09and the reviews for the stand-up show have been equally as impressive.
0:36:11 > 0:36:18This is from Chortle, which is the biggest comedy website in Britain
0:36:18 > 0:36:23and it's the one that the industry reads that the comics read and I got four stars.
0:36:23 > 0:36:28An absolute cracker of an hour's stand-up story telling, which is a very nice thing to say.
0:36:28 > 0:36:32This is from the Evening Standard, he's never reviewed me before,
0:36:32 > 0:36:37but he's a very respected, a man called Bruce Dessau,
0:36:37 > 0:36:39and he's also given it four.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45As the whole experience begins to draw to a close,
0:36:45 > 0:36:48and the last few stars are pinned to the posters,
0:36:48 > 0:36:53there's just the matter of a BBC comedy showcase in front of a capacity crowd.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55RHOD: The fantastic Elis James!
0:36:55 > 0:37:00CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:37:01 > 0:37:04Yeah! Hello!
0:37:04 > 0:37:05'My year's been brilliant.'
0:37:05 > 0:37:09This time last year I didn't have a show I didn't have ten seconds
0:37:09 > 0:37:14of material, so to write what is probably my best show when I thought
0:37:14 > 0:37:17I'd run dry, I'm really, that's the thing I'm most pleased with.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21I'm quite an absent-minded person,
0:37:21 > 0:37:24I'm a real day-dreamer for instance yesterday I walked into
0:37:24 > 0:37:28my kitchen in the morning and I picked up a tea towel and then I walked
0:37:28 > 0:37:35to Tesco with that tea towel thinking it was a bag for fucking life.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38I think I have proven a point to myself this is the first year
0:37:38 > 0:37:43where I have written about how I feel as opposed to just telling stories.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47All the greatest comics of all time that's what they were doing.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50At which point I get to the till and the girl behind the counter says, "Have you brought
0:37:50 > 0:37:53"your own bags with you today sir?" to which point I replied,
0:37:53 > 0:38:01"Yes, before just unfurling this tea towel, like a domestic matador."
0:38:01 > 0:38:05In previews and things, I was always worried and a bit het up
0:38:05 > 0:38:08because the shows weren't going very well.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11When it goes well it's really great, and it has gone well.
0:38:11 > 0:38:12This has been a lot of fun!
0:38:12 > 0:38:16CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:38:16 > 0:38:20After 25,000 miles on the road, almost 300 performances,
0:38:20 > 0:38:22several radio comedies, interviews, reviews
0:38:22 > 0:38:27and countless service station meals,
0:38:27 > 0:38:29there's only one thing left to say.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32Thank you so much for coming, my name's Elis James, good night.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:38:42 > 0:38:46Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd