One of Norfolk's finest comedy exports revealed he was more nervous about the return of the Nimmo Twins than their first performance in front of a crowd of two people.
The double act - back by popular demand - returns to its home county for the first time in more than five years tonight.
But Karl Minns, one half of the Nimmo Twins, said he feared that the comic duo would not be able to live up to the expectations of the return of their Normal for Norfolk sketch show, which will be performed to sell out crowds in Norwich for the next 12 nights.
The comedian, who has been busy writing and performing on Russell Howard's Good News on BBC3 for the last five years, will be reunited with Owen Evans at the Norwich Playhouse tonight to unleash a whole load of new material for 'Normal for Norfolk 12: Fritton's Got Talent.'
Mr Minns, who moved from Norwich to London six years ago, yesterday admitted it was more difficult to write the Twins' material this time around.
However, he and his comedy partner would be bringing their brand of humour to topics such as the dualling of the A11, the fortunes of Norwich City Football Club, and the Norfolk incinerator during the two hour show.
He added that they were delighted when shows at the Playhouse and two dates at the Norwich Theatre Royal sold out so quickly.
'Some people are saying we have lots to write about, but we can not do stories from four years ago and it has to be this year and there have not been lots of big stories, which has made it a bit tricky.'
'We did not know there was going to be an audience after five years. We are two blokes with two chairs. When we went to Edinburgh the first time, our average attendance was two.'
'The expectation is so massive, I do not know how any show can live up to it and we are looking forward to it. We have a lot of new material and by the time we get to the first week, it will be in order. It has been five years since I have been on stage and I'm very nervous,' he said.
The Nimmo Twins were first established in 1996 and started gaining national attention after their show Posh Spice Nude was a success at the 1997 Edinburgh Festival. They went on to play Paris, New York and the Singapore Comedy Festival, but regularly returned to their homeland of Norfolk to perform.
Mr Minns, a former Norwich Evening News columnist, added that he was not sure what the future was for the Nimmo Twins. However, a 20th anniversary reunion was on the cards in two years time.
'In 2016 it will be our 20th anniversary for Normal for Norfolk and we have already booked some shows, which might be called '20 years, five jokes, two men'. Both of us will do something to commemorate that we have got away with it for 20 years.' 'I think the audience that has been with us for a few years come knowing we take the mickey out of them and they know we are from here. By taking the mickey of them, it is taking the mickey of ourselves. Norfolk is very easy to parody because it is seen to be anti outsiders and anti change,' he added.
The Nimmo Twins play Norwich Playhouse from tonight until August 28 and Norwich Theatre Royal on August 29 and 30.
Have you got an arts story? Email emma.knights@archant.co.uk
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