Aligning the planets

Last night was our fourth show. I'd describe it as 'really good' but not 'great' and certainly not on par with the Press Night performance where (thankfully, happily) all six actors excelled.

Improv comedy is like that: it's unrealistic to expect my entire cast to shine on the one night. As director it's my job to create an environment where such greatness can emerge without ever accusing the performers of anything if it doesn't come to pass. Still the expectation is there and after last night's show we each felt a twinge of frustration despite the fulsome praise of the audience.

Perfectionism of this nature is a necessary curse for anyone who charges the general public for the privilege of shutting up and watching them perform. The likes of Sir Ian McKellen and David Beckham invite us into their workplaces with an implicit understanding of this idea and factored into their enormous pay packets is compensation for working in an environment where cataclysmic failure can occur in open sight.

My cast have signed up to a life where 'adequate' will never be good enough. Performers have to perform.