My niece is now three months old and she’s an excellent being. I see her most days and my surreal ticced songs have become part of her bedtime routine. But for the last week we’ve been busy with previews of our new show ‘Not I’, so I haven’t seen her or Fat Sister for a few days.

Fat Sister sent me a message last night inviting me to join them for Rhyme Time at our local library. I happily agreed – chuckling to myself at the fun my tics would have at an under-fives nursery rhyme session.

My sister obviously hadn’t given this a lot of thought, but when the cheerful play leader started singing Old McDonald I saw the delight flash across her face as my tics took the bait.

Play Leader: Old McDonald had a…
TH: Toaster, ee-eye, ee-eye-oh.

Play Leader: Old McDonald had a…
TH: Certificate in osteopathy, ee-eye, ee-eye-oh.

Play Leader: Old McDonald had a:
TH: Venereal disease, ee-eye, ee-eye-oh.

The play leader didn’t seem to notice and continued on enthusiastically. But he couldn’t have failed to notice my tics’ loud and over excited response to his animal-based questions:

Play Leader: What goes moo?
TH: Cow!

Play Leader: What goes miaow?
TH: Cats!

Play Leader: What goes quack, quack?
TH: Ducks!

None of the children got a look-in with their answers but nobody seemed to mind. When the group leader started barking, my tics went right off the chart and I was still woofing long after he’d moved on to chickens.

I loved Rhyme Time and my niece and sister did too – and I felt totally welcome and included as well.

I have, however, continued to bark periodically all day.