Comedy / Martin Pilgrim
Bristol comedian Martin Pilgrim releases stand-up routine on YouTube
Bristol comedian Martin Pilgrim performed his stand-up show Sadulthood for the first time in his bedroom.
He later performed it at venues across Bristol and then at the Edinburgh Festival, and now as a special Christmas treat he has published the whole show on YouTube:
“I really wanted to film the show in Bristol because the city played a big part in its creation,” Pilgrim said. “I wrote it here and practised it here. Nearly all the stories in the show happened here.
is needed now More than ever
“Before I went up to Edinburgh I got to perform it all over the city in places like Roll for the Soul, Boston Tea Party, The Room Above and Smoke & Mirrors, not to mention my own bedroom in Easton. It seemed fitting that the final performance should be here too.
“From a selfish point of view, Bristol audiences are probably the nicest in the country so I knew I’d get a good response. I also live with some of the Bristol Improv Theatre staff so I got a discount on the room.
“Despite its name, the show is the most positive thing I’ve ever written. It’s about getting into your late 20s and realising that you’re probably not special. I see this as a good thing. Coming to terms with mediocrity is liberating. There’s nothing wrong with an unspectacular life.
“I decided to release the show for free because I want as many people as possible to see it. I’d rather people saw the show for free and then paid to see me live at some point. Putting the show on YouTube is a good way to draw a line under the old material andforce myself to write new stuff. Americans call it ‘burning your material’.
“Bristol has one of the best comedy scenes in the country. The weekly gigs at Smoke & Mirrors on a Monday and the Lazy Dog on a Thursday are an absolute godsend in terms of being able to perform regularly.
“The scene is small enough to have a real sense of community and – Bristol being Bristol – audiences are willing to put up with you trying out weird ideas on stage.”
Read more: How Bristol won the Edinburgh Fringe
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