Was it a country of communist block housing developments or elegant European architecture? Atheist liberals, or conservative, religious citizens? Cosmopolitan city dwellers or wild wilderness folk? The answer to all the above? Yes. My experience in my four days in Croatia was simply amazing - great food (I mean GREAT food…not LIGHT food, mind you…and many, many animals died for my meals, I admit…including wild boar, frogs, and red deer) great wine (visited a beautiful cellar and went wine tasting on our final night in Osijek) and great people.

Intellectual, witty, kind, cordial, generous, and hospitable people who were curious about the lives of us comedians, and open to sharing everything about themselves. Our driver, Bobo, for instance, was a great guy with many talents - he teaches skiing in France in the winter, delivers lectures about animation to 2000+ audiences, plays rugby in the summer, and has two lovely young daughters whose photos he showed me over some cherry-flavoured brandy. Nino, the man behind the London Calling project, has been working with my agent Mirth Control on developing the first English-speaking stand up comedy clubs in Croatia.

Having successfully launched such a club in the capital city of Zagreb, Nino decided to go the more adventurous route and see if the more off-the-beatenpath city of Osijek, in Croatia’s rustic Slavonian region, would be as receptive. Not a man to do things by halves, Nino booked a nearly 300-seat theatre in Osijek for for the “test run.” Tickets sold out in an hour and a half, which prompted Nino to put together a second night, which sold out as well. Seems the people of Osijek are hungry for British-style stand up comedy.

But myself, David Whitney, and Matt Price (replacing the mysteriously disappearing Matthew Hardy) were left wondering: were these people going to GET us? Or perhaps more accurately - going to LIKE us? I’m not saying we didn’t have our moments of “hmmm, that didn’t translate…” (as David discovered, the song “We Built This City” is strangely absent from the Croatian 80s playlist) but honestly, these audiences where English was a second language had a keener grasp of reference and sharper appreciation for comedy than certain audiences we had all played to in the UK. Rather than having to rely on lowest common denominator gags, we instead had to ramp up our game.

I’ll never forget a lovely philosophy major called Lovro telling me that “I had something important to say with my comedic analysis of Facebook and society’s dependence on it perhaps I should deepen that in my set.” Noted, Lovro. Noted. Between pornographic binges of meat filled meat (with a side of giant hamburger), and white wine which would give any other European country a serious run for its money, I was learning, yet again, how to play to a different cultural audience, and also, the idea of exploring my beliefs and message further within the context of my comedy.

I might also add that I learned the joy of being asked for one’s autograph for the first time, and being dubbed on Croatian television. I’m glad to be back in the UK, where I hope to keep developing my comedy style and hopefully, make it in a country which I’ve long held (and still hold) on a pedestal for its intelligent and clever humour. But I’d also like to thank Croatia for somehow showing me a meatier way of life…