20/07/08
Comfort zones -
Categories: I haven't blogged in a week or so, as I've been busier than I can recall ever being. I've had an Edinburgh show to write, and a sitcom script to rewrite and send off, and a wedding to plan, and a house to buy. Four things that you should probably dedicate a good month to each, and I haven't allowed myself that luxury.
I'll just talk about Edinburgh here, cos the other things are all at least partly under wraps. And my, July can be a rollercoaster month. Two days ago I had a lovely preview show in Bedford. Then last night a not-so-lovely one in Brighton. So it's very tricky when I'm banking so much on each show - trying several new bits specifically that night - to judge what's working and what isn't.
Last night for instance was pitched as an Edinburgh preview show, and introduced as such by me, but being the middle of the party bit of Brighton at 6:30 on a Saturday night, we had a few groups there seeing this as the start of their big whoop-whoop night out, so a hen do and a too-cool-for-school birthday group were there. Not quite the forgiving arts-centrey audience that I probably could have done with. I'm ready for this cos the show is lots of me trying new things, so it's always going to be a gamble, and at some previews it's paid off. It largely worked last night, but with that sort of party-party crowd where only one person had the idea to come to the comedy and the rest followed dutifully, all it takes is one or two less polished bits and they lose their interest. To give them their credit, bless that lovely hen do for being nice throughout.
This year's show is introduced as being about me leaving my musical comfort zones - ie. stop listening to the stuff I normally do and try some styles I'm not normally into. But it's expanded to be about leaving comfort zones in a way I'd never intended: Somehow it now contains 3 songs, and I've never sung professionally on stage in my life, before Bedford two nights ago.
But I'm not sure the songs are working - a shame, having spent ages writing them and begging friends to record them as backing tracks. Hmm. Is it that they're not funny enough? Or that they're just a change of pace from my normal stand-up and the audience find it hard to adjust? Do I just need more confidence with the performance of them? Do they need cutting completely? Or trimming to a verse or two rather than six? Or a bit of choreography? It's at times like this I think I should have had a director. So I don't know. If anyone would like to give me direction on this without having even seen/heard the songs, feel free to just pick one of the questions above as being what you think I need to do with it. I am more than happy to take random direction from someone who hasn't even seen the show. Well it's cheaper than getting a real director...
Oh, and since my last blog with my big surreal to-do list, you'll be pleased to know I've ticked off all those things, apart from 'Buy a whistle'. That should be easy. Thought about getting on Ebay for one to save money, then I thought, "Second-hand whistles... Maybe some things are best bought new."
Comments:
What about droping the odd verse throughout the act? You could start it off by explaining that its work in progress and do the first verse, cut it there saying thats all youve got so far... then spontaniously go into verses throughout the act (i mean between jokes), as if youve just thought it up? Would that work?
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24/07/08 @ 08:51 
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