Opportunities for learning

I haven't been able to post for a few days because I've been too angry.

Wednesday's Scenes from Communal Living was so bad I was nearly speechless with rage. The poor audience sat through a procession of tasteless, pointless autopilot 'comedy' that was unfunny in every possible way. Career-damagingly bad.

Of course it was the first show of the run that industry friends of mine from Australia and Canada had come along to watch. This Edinburgh was supposed to be my showcase for improv's possibilities but this was nothing more than an eloquent demonstration of its limitations.

Post-show notes were nasty, brutish and short and I walked away disconsolate.

I found out later that for once the cast took my notes to heart. When I arrived at Thursday's pre-show meeting the cast was already in the room, focused and ready to warm up. That day's show was a good one. Yesterday was the same with equally pleasing results.

Maybe the penny dropped. Maybe my young cast has realised that when you perform on autopilot bad things happen. It's Day 24 of the Edinburgh Fringe but as tiring as that may be, the audience members are seeing the show for the first time.