I've been asked to read at Short Fuse, on Wednesday 14th April at the Brighton Komedia. The theme for the night is 'The Professionals' and promises "Short stories from the best local and national writing talent which explore the world of work (or how to avoid it)"
I'm going to read a story called For Hire. Until recently it was called Punch and Judy Story which is a rather half-hearted title. It's about a Punch and Judy man who is running out of money as the season draws to a close:
Monday mornings I do my
rounds. I start by checking the
nearby newsagents. Some shops leave cards in the window for months
without asking for more money, but I can’t be complacent. If a card
has been taken down, or left long enough to grow faded, then I go in
and ask to put up another. It’s important to
make a good impression – if your kids need entertaining, you don’t
want someone represented by a curled, faded postcard.
I've written several stories about this character, and the terrible things that happen to him and his puppets. This story features a strippogram (or, to be more accurate, a 'stripogram' (sic)) and some very awkward phone calls.
The night starts at 8pm in the Brighton Komedia Studio Bar. Entry is £5.