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Well it has been just over a year since I first began planning to do a theatre show, and now I have done it I will just do a quick write-up of what I have learnt...

Firstly, nothing is out of reach, as long as you actually want to do it. I never thought that I would be performing in a theatre in a one-man show, but now I have. For that, successful of not, I am personally very proud.

Right:

1) Get your public liability insurance sorted in good time! I did not, and that caused me much uneeded stress. I know it is rule 1 in back to basics class, but I overlooked it. Don't make that same mistake again!

2) What can go wrong, will go wrong. Trust me. It is the day of the performance and it is 2 hours and 30 minutes away from doors open. What happens? The lighting control rig exploded. Yes. Exploded! We had to get a brand new rig in and re-program the lights in 2 hours 30 minutes. That was fun. Best thing to do in this case is not to panic.

3) Enjoy yourself! I really enjoyed myself personally, and I think that is what counts when trying to do something like this.

Right - now on to the show itself.

I enjoyed the show, however performing it made me realise something. The parts that I enjoyed performing most - and I am assuming people like Robbie and Jean Eugene will have noticed this - was my own stuff. Take a look at the cluedo routine - how good was that? Compare that to the opener and you can see what I mean.

For those who didn't go I shall explain. My aim was to do a show and get used to stage. The problem though, is that very little of the show was my own material, and a lot of it was stolen...and yes, I shall use the word "stolen" instead of "borrowed"...a lot of it was stolen from Derren and Andy. The audience enjoyed it yes, but surely that is not the point? Only some of my show was my own, and that brings me down slightly afterwards.

Next - don't be afraid to take things to the line and step over it occasionally. I used the needle through arm on a spectator tied to a crucifix. Yes it was very Derren + Robbie Williams but it was with a very different presentation. It got a very big reaction from people, and that is what many were talking about afterwards. I enjoyed that aspect of the show, as it caused a big stir afterwards, and many people were questioning whether it was actually real, which was what I was after.

I am now in the process of writing a new show for summer 2011 to be performed in Reading, except this time with most of it my own material or presentations. I want to do a show now which I will be proud to call my own, rather than call Derren's.

So if anything I am writing this to say to people, don't be afraid to try new things. But also, I have now realised the importance of creating your own material, as only when you use your own stuff can you truly find your own performing style

A very good thing that has come out of this show though apart from the experience and enjoyment out of this is a brand new "special" female friend though...for those who came you would have seen a lovely young lady placed on and attached to a life-size crucifix and a black bag put upon her head. We are now seeing eachother, which is rather ironic...

"How did you two meet?"
"He tied me to a cross and crucified me"
"................"

Beardy wrote:A very good thing that has come out of this show though apart from the experience and enjoyment out of this is a brand new "special" female friend though...for those who came you would have seen a lovely young lady placed on and attached to a life-size crucifix and a black bag put upon her head. We are now seeing eachother, which is rather ironic...

"How did you two meet?"
"He tied me to a cross and crucified me"
"................"

You're kidding??!?!??!!!?!

I'm really glad to here it went well, if you come do a show in Reading I'll be sure to catch it.

I agree with everything you've said, especially about doing your own work - with two stage shows under our belt and a third in the final stages, we finally feel like we've got a show that is totally our own.

There's just one thing I'd like to add - Don't be afraid to throw something out if it didn't work. Sometimes you'll have an idea, and it'll seem like the funniest/scariest/most baffling thing in the world, and you'll be incredibly excited about performing it on stage, and when you finally get to road test it, no one will get it, or worse, everyone will hate it. This happens, no one is perfect.

So don't be afraid to try something, have it completely fail, and either chuck it out or completely re-work it. The more you do a show the more it will grow and evolve and change, until you look back and barely recognise the thing you started with. There are effects in the show we're currently rehearsing that completely bombed in the early previews, so we've completely reworked them, and they've become some of our favourites.

Thanks Beardy, I will try my best to get to the reading one
On the point of performing your own material, I completeley understand. I cannot tell you how many times I have been reading someone elses stuff, and I just know I'm going to end up performing it. I know it is impossible to avoid stealing material from others because sometimes it is just too damn good (Derren's a bu**er), but I have restricted myself to at MOST 50-50 ratio of my material vs other's and even that's not good enough. And there is nothing in the world like deciding on an effect and that eurika moment 2 months or so later after all that brain busting- and then to go out and perform something perfectly tailored and suited to you- that's what it's all about. I used to feel like a Derren cover act- but now he is just a (heavily) influential figure. Just wanted to reiterate that point, because it's one worth taking on board.

That woman is very submissive.

Thanks for sharing. And congratulations! i hope it all works out for you guys.
You dark horse you

Allright and a big congratulations sounds like it went as perfect as it gets.

A black bag over the head and tied to a crucifix, now why didn't I think of that?

Beardy wrote:
A very good thing that has come out of this show though apart from the experience and enjoyment out of this is a brand new "special" female friend though...for those who came you would have seen a lovely young lady placed on and attached to a life-size crucifix and a black bag put upon her head. We are now seeing eachother, which is rather ironic...

"How did you two meet?"
"He tied me to a cross and crucified me"
"................"

Forget chat up lines, eh?

"How did you two meet?"
"He tied me to a cross and crucified me"
"................"

I seem to be hearing that increasingly often now adays.

i will say well done purely for getting up and doing it all..

however, i will take you to task over something...

its natural to perform stuff we learn from books, that people release on dvds and so on...however...

its completely different to just to steal another performers work (not published) and perform it...

the rush of eagerness to do something is admirable - however, spending that extra bit of time to come up with a different presentation and effect would have been more beneficial for you as a performer...

"oooh he did that thing....you know...that derren did..."

you never want to hear that really do you...

anyway - whats the point of feedback if its just well done?

Sounds like a great show.

One of the most important points you made was about enjoying the show. Too many performers are too intense or nervous on stage and it shows.

If you are enjoying yourself on stage, this also reflects to the audience. It's important to enjoy what you are doing and reeelllaxx.

I wish you great success for the future.

Well done, on both the show and the post-show. There are few feelings better than doing your own show.
Your own material will follow. Keep at it.

cymru1991 wrote:

Beardy wrote:A very good thing that has come out of this show though apart from the experience and enjoyment out of this is a brand new "special" female friend though...for those who came you would have seen a lovely young lady placed on and attached to a life-size crucifix and a black bag put upon her head. We are now seeing eachother, which is rather ironic...

"How did you two meet?"
"He tied me to a cross and crucified me"
"................"

You're kidding??!?!??!!!?!

Nope!

Eshly wrote:That woman is very submissive.

Nope!

jackleg wrote:Thanks for sharing. And congratulations! i hope it all works out for you guys.
You dark horse you

bmat wrote:Allright and a big congratulations sounds like it went as perfect as it gets.

A black bag over the head and tied to a crucifix, now why didn't I think of that?

Because you were scared of the potential legal and psychological implications of it?

IAIN wrote:i will say well done purely for getting up and doing it all..

however, i will take you to task over something...

its natural to perform stuff we learn from books, that people release on dvds and so on...however...

its completely different to just to steal another performers work (not published) and perform it...

the rush of eagerness to do something is admirable - however, spending that extra bit of time to come up with a different presentation and effect would have been more beneficial for you as a performer...

"oooh he did that thing....you know...that derren did..."

you never want to hear that really do you...

anyway - whats the point of feedback if its just well done?

Indeed, and I totally agree with everything that you said - that was the point of this thread - it just took me performing the show itself to realise it!

Eddie Booth wrote:Sounds like a great show.

One of the most important points you made was about enjoying the show. Too many performers are too intense or nervous on stage and it shows.

If you are enjoying yourself on stage, this also reflects to the audience. It's important to enjoy what you are doing and reeelllaxx.

I wish you great success for the future.

Thankyou, it was indeed very enjoyable. I would even go as far as to say that I realistically haven't had such a good time in a very long time!

TonyB wrote:Well done, on both the show and the post-show. There are few feelings better than doing your own show.
Your own material will follow. Keep at it.

I do hope so!

Here's to a good year of writing new material!

IF i wore a hat Chris, i'd tip it at you. I can't imagine everything that goes into something like that.

I'm especially impressed at your honesty and self-criticism, very refreshing amongst magicians/mentalists/whateveryoucallyourself.

Kudos to you then.

What Grimshaw said.

You deserve "congratulations". That's a plural, you know: