It’s a dog’s life as a stand-up comedian on the outdoor circuit - Vladimir McTavish

Club Doggo

I am doing a number of outdoor shows, which would be risky at the Edinburgh Fringe in August but totally unthinkable anywhere in Scotland at most other times of year, especially the first week in March.

Some of these alfresco gigs have been a little bit quirky. At the weekends, I have been guesting on a very left field show, staged in a re-purposed shipping container where the performers are nominally indoors but the audience are lounging around in a field.

What makes this gig, Club Doggo, unique is that the punters can bring their dogs to the show. In fact, they are encouraged to do so.

I’ve played some tough crowds in my time, but an audience that is 50 per cent canine presents a totally different challenge. You have to be pretty careful in crossing the line of acceptable material when the front row may potentially bite you.

On top of that, the front row can also bite one another. And they can also start having sex with each other, although thankfully that hasn’t happened yet.

Remarkably the dogs were not too badly behaved, although I’m not sure they actually got many of the jokes. Indeed, as it turned out, the shows have been much easier than many gigs I have played at home.

Furthermore, I would go as far as to say that I would much rather do a gig to 26 dogs than to an office Christmas night out.

OK, last Sunday one audience member took a dump in front of the stage but at least their owner cleared it up in a poo bag.

All in all, it is not the easiest gig in the world having various audience members barking and biting. But it’s a lot easier than having to deal with a drunken stag do at the Hyena Comedy Club in Newcastle back in the day.

Definitely not a lot of difference, but I’d choose a pack of baying hounds over a bunch of braying stags every time.