Feb 2, 20232 min read

Whist - it's bringing sexy back...

Play with Heart(s)!

(Except I couldn't find the 3 of hearts - so I used diamonds instead, well, they are a girls' best friend!)

Drooling, dreaming and dipping in and out of an audio book – Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens (if you’re interested) were all part of my train trip up North, this week. Bliss. Well not the drooling; the odd sweaty passenger (and occasional sweaty 'odd' passenger too); the packed aisles (another train had broken down), and the conductor waking me up to check my pulse, sorry, ticket for the second time. I am visiting my amazing mother and bringing her South, for a break. We have a lot of laughs together and even go play whist. We’re both good players but my 93 year old mum would be making millions if she was a poker player – we need to make whist sexy! What games do you play? Fancy whist? My Nana taught me to play the game at the age of four. Counting cards, working as a team with random people, keeping a stony face, remembering which card suit is trumps and shuffling and dealing like a top casino croupier, are skills you need to master - you need to be bit of a trickster. Was Nana a secret hustler? The winnings are usually £4 or sometimes £25 on an organised whist holiday. Yes, I do this with mother too. Like any activity, it takes practice to be an expert. It took me around seven years to become a half-decent clown and comedian. Fell on my face a few times – how they laughed – how I cried, and then laughed, but I got there in the end. Come and learn a few comedy tricks of the trade and I will catch you if you fall. As usual, big thanks and love from Maggie and the Comedy Matters team :)