An illustration of theatre superstitions
So Prose & Jazz is over, although I hope to perform both the pieces again at some stage in the future.
But there was a good example of how theatre superstitions come into being and how they are reinforced, if we can define P&J as Cafe Theatre for the time being.
Just before we started, Joel the Younger dragged me out to the courtyard for one last cigarette for our nerves, or rather, his nerves (and okay, it didn't take a lot of dragging). So he was fluttering a little, and saying that for him it never got any easier. I mentioned that I have been getting dangerously over-confident about performing, especially in P&J.
In retrospect, this wasn't a very bright thing to say. He squawked in fear, and starting hitting everything wooden in sight, but even if he hadn't seen it as me tempting fate it would hardly have been very reassuring: "Oh, you're nervous? I'm not because I don't ever seem to fuck up badly," complete with an implication that he in fact did fuck up badly, and so had an excuse for his nerves.
Ironically, I can't remember him ever screwing up in performances, although he does great stuff in rehearsals. Whereas I have had some wonderful blunders, although all of them were recoverable.
So, you can probably see where this is going. I fucked up in the dialogue with Baldy English Bloke. The audience didn't notice at all, but I went blank and then skipped to the next line I could remember. Which eliminated one of my favourite lines, and Baldy's best line too.
Joel the Younger of course thinks that this is proving his point, whereas I think it proves mine - I was dangerously over-confident. And I also know exactly why I forgot the line.
The audience were loving the piece. They were laughing at things that had only got mild titters before, they had picked up the idea behind it far quicker than previous audiences, and then the killer: they finally laughed at a joke I had been trying, and failing, to get across since we started rehearsing.
Internally I jumped up and down shouting "YES!" Externally, I came very close to laughing myself, just out of pleasure. And then I recognised the next cue and had absolutely no idea what came after it. I stared into Baldy's eyes, he stared into mine. My stare said "Help meeeeeee", his said "I'm trying but I can't think of anything!"
I'm still getting over it. Looking on the bright side, as I am wont to do, it has given me the kick out of complacency that I probably needed before tackling the far larger role of Nanny Ogg. But I don't think Joel the Younger will ever forgive me for jinxing the show...
But there was a good example of how theatre superstitions come into being and how they are reinforced, if we can define P&J as Cafe Theatre for the time being.
Just before we started, Joel the Younger dragged me out to the courtyard for one last cigarette for our nerves, or rather, his nerves (and okay, it didn't take a lot of dragging). So he was fluttering a little, and saying that for him it never got any easier. I mentioned that I have been getting dangerously over-confident about performing, especially in P&J.
In retrospect, this wasn't a very bright thing to say. He squawked in fear, and starting hitting everything wooden in sight, but even if he hadn't seen it as me tempting fate it would hardly have been very reassuring: "Oh, you're nervous? I'm not because I don't ever seem to fuck up badly," complete with an implication that he in fact did fuck up badly, and so had an excuse for his nerves.
Ironically, I can't remember him ever screwing up in performances, although he does great stuff in rehearsals. Whereas I have had some wonderful blunders, although all of them were recoverable.
So, you can probably see where this is going. I fucked up in the dialogue with Baldy English Bloke. The audience didn't notice at all, but I went blank and then skipped to the next line I could remember. Which eliminated one of my favourite lines, and Baldy's best line too.
Joel the Younger of course thinks that this is proving his point, whereas I think it proves mine - I was dangerously over-confident. And I also know exactly why I forgot the line.
The audience were loving the piece. They were laughing at things that had only got mild titters before, they had picked up the idea behind it far quicker than previous audiences, and then the killer: they finally laughed at a joke I had been trying, and failing, to get across since we started rehearsing.
Internally I jumped up and down shouting "YES!" Externally, I came very close to laughing myself, just out of pleasure. And then I recognised the next cue and had absolutely no idea what came after it. I stared into Baldy's eyes, he stared into mine. My stare said "Help meeeeeee", his said "I'm trying but I can't think of anything!"
I'm still getting over it. Looking on the bright side, as I am wont to do, it has given me the kick out of complacency that I probably needed before tackling the far larger role of Nanny Ogg. But I don't think Joel the Younger will ever forgive me for jinxing the show...