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LAUREN PATTISON
NEXT NE GIG
Saturday 8th October
VENUE
The Stand, Newcastle
With a brand-new show under her belt and a successful run at the Edinburgh Festival, North East-based comedian Lauren Pattison will shortly return to The Stand in Newcastle. Adam Kennedy caught up with her to find out more about the challenges she’s faced, the pandemic and more.
What with the pandemic and now the cost of living crisis, it’s a difficult time to be touring...
I think at the start of the year, things were technically back to normal, but I think I was definitely still feeling the effect on my career. Obviously, prices for everything have gone up now too. So suddenly, going and doing a circuit gig is a lot more difficult because the money that I used to get paid for that gig now isn't going as far because electricity has
gone up.
And have those challenges
played on your mind?
I was feeling stressed and
starting to wonder: is comedy
the right thing? I love it more
than anything, but I need a
sign that I'm on the right path
and that this is all going to be
fine. So, I was focusing a lot on
Edinburgh. The show was going well,
and I was like, you can still write a show: you're a good storyteller, and the audiences are enjoying it. Then I got that nomination for the main award at the end of the month, and I thought, oh - this could potentially be the sign that you were looking for, that you're going in the right direction.
Did you use the time off during the pandemic to be creative?
Weirdly, I found it easy to write this new show because I've done a lot in the last two years
including going back to a day job. I thought I need money, and I'm not going to sit here and whinge that I don’t have any. I'm going to try my best to get a job. Obviously, I'd left London and come back to Newcastle. I'd made the decision to stay in Newcastle and rebuild my life. I’m quite thankful in a way. There were times when I was working a day job again, and I thought this is boring, I hate this - but it allowed me to have stuff to talk about, which is always a bonus.
And you’re returning to The Stand this month. How are you feeling about the upcoming performance?
The Stand gave me one of my very first gigs. It was July 2012, the very first time I did Red Raw
at The Stand. I would say over the last ten years that they have consistently supported me. And when I went to record my debut show, there was only one location I had in mind. There was a lot of pressure for me to film it in London because that's where the industry was. I said I want to film it at Newcastle Stand because that venue means more to me and you'll get a better recording out of it. I think Newcastle crowds especially get behind their own; I've seen it when I go and watch Sam Fender perform. I really do think that the North East crowds, if it's one of their own, they will back them. That's why I love getting to go back and do stuff at The Stand - it's such a supportive venue and a supportive city,
and I absolutely love it.
Lauren Pattison heads to The Stand in Newcastle on Saturday 8th October. Tickets, priced at £12.00 in advance, are available from thestand.co.uk.
“I need a sign that I'm on the right path”
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