Last weekend I was fortunate enough to catch American rock/blues outfit The Black Crowes at The Enmore Theatre. This show had everything - killer tunes, brilliant production values, tight musos and a frontman who really knows how to put on a show. Lead singer Chris Robinson worked the audience with his sass, soulful vocals, and dance moves that defied his age of 55. This blistering show was full throttle from the moment they stepped on stage, till their encore an hour and a half later.
Reflecting on the show later that night, I realised what struck me most was that although the band has been around for nearly 40 years, the show was as fresh as a daisy. And on top of that, the two songs that had the biggest reaction from the audience were their hits, Hard to Handle, and Remedy, which I’m sure they’ve played hundreds, if not thousands of times before.
And I thought… how do these guys keep their show so dynamic and engaging for their audiences? I mean, how many times have they played these songs over the last 40 years, and most importantly… how are they not sick of it?!
That got me thinking about the world of professional theatre. Sure, we don’t do the same show for 40 years (in Australia, 3-4 years at the very most), but we have to do 8 shows a week while adhering to specific direction, music direction, choreography and blocking. We work as part of a company that relies on each company member doing the same job to create the same show every… single… time.
Did someone say Groundhog Day?!
Not a lot people in the industry talk about just how hard it is to do a long running show day in/day out, and that’s understandable. No one wants to sound ungrateful for being part of a ‘big show’. For many people, large commercial shows are their personal definition of success and possibly what they’ve been dreaming about since they were a kid. But the reality is, it’s tough to recreate a show 200, 300, 400+ times, and make it look and feel as exciting as opening night.
So how does an actor keep things fresh, and more importantly, stave off the anxiety that’s created from going on autopilot during a long running show?
Although not discussed by many actors, it is incredibly common for this unique type of stage fright to develop during long running shows, which occurs when dialogue, lyrics and/or choreography have become so engrained in an actor’s muscle memory it can literally be performed with very little conscious thought.
Hands up who’s come off stage after a scene or song to realise you spent the whole time thinking about what you were going to buy at Woolies after the show, and you have no memory of what you just did on stage (Ummm… ME. Many times!)?
Although this can create a level of disconnected panic, know that you’re not alone. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to remedy this, and keep your show fresh and engaged for you, your fellow performers and your audiences.
Our minds can switch off because it’s no longer stimulated or challenged by what you’re doing on stage. It literally doesn’t need to ‘think’ about it anymore. One approach is to make sure your brain is stimulated and challenged in your downtime instead. Especially when on tour, it’s easy to fall into the trap of wasting your precious time off during the day. For example, while on tour I would often get into the bad habit of sleeping till midday, going for a late breakfast, watching some tv back at my accom and then going to the show that night. No stimulation there! What can you do during the day to stimulate your big, beautiful brain? Do you have a passion project? Maybe some study goals? Learn a new language? Start writing that show you’ve been thinking about?
To keep engaged on stage, some veteran performers like to pretend someone significant is in the audience and would ‘dedicate’ the show to them. These days visiting celebrities like to attend commercial shows, with the company usually aware of their presence in the venue. If you’ve experienced this before, think back. Did it prompt you to feel more ‘on’ and connected with what you’re doing on stage? What about when family and friends are in on opening night? Was there a stronger commitment to the material? Even if you’re involved with smaller shows that might not having visiting celebs, choose someone important in your life, whether they be family, friends, a celebrity or a casting agent, and ‘do the show for them’.
If you’re on autopilot, maybe it’s time to mentally return to the rehearsal room and spend more time on your character. Music Theatre icon Nancye Hayes once said with every stage of her career, she is always learning. There is always, ALWAYS something new to discover in a character. Go back to the drawing board, flesh it out and find some new things about your role. Having these new discoveries in mind will give your performance a freshness that will get your grey matter pumping and creativity buzzing again.
While you’re there, maybe also go back and revisit the importance of the show you’re on. Is there any cultural significance that could benefit from further exploration, like Hamilton or Miss Saigon? Or political issues, like Evita? Why was this show written? What or whose story are you telling, and how/where do you fit within the storytelling? Whose voice do you represent? The work of those in the arts is so valuable to society as a whole. It’s crucial we remind ourselves of that regularly.
Automatic pilot also happens beyond the stage. Being beholden to a plot means your backstage traffic rarely changes, and again, that dreaded monotony can seep in. Between scenes, do you sit in your dressing room listening to the tannoy for the same cue to walk the same journey back to the stage, passing the same people in the hall at the same time and share the same joke with the same person in the wings before walking on stage? It’s easy to fall into the trap of making that 4 hours+ in the theatre identical every night. Time allowing - change it up! Go to the wings early, watch parts of the show you usually don’t get to see, talk to a company member you don’t usually cross paths with. Spice it up and get out of the backstage routine you’re stuck in.
If all else fails, approach your resident director/choreographer, MD or dance captain. Express you’re feeling stale and ask them for ways to inject some freshness back into your performance. Don’t be afraid to be honest with them. It’s literally their job to keep the show looking it’s best and they will want to assist you in doing that.
And last but not least, sometimes we forget that the reason we perform is for our audiences. It’s easy, especially under bright lights in large venues, to feel disconnected from them in a big sea of black. Depending on your show, really look at your audience. Watch their responses. Watch them watching the show. It is our job to move our audiences, whether that be to laugh, cry or feel all the feels. WE do that. If you’re on autopilot, there’s a good chance your audience isn’t getting your best show from you. Notice your effect on this group of random people who have spent time and money to experience the story you’re telling. Hopefully this reminder will bring you back to the present and reconnect you with the importance and joy of what we do.
Struggling with performance anxiety? I can help. I understand this life because I’ve lived it. Get in contact with Centred Stage today for a free 15 min chemistry chat.
Fun facts - Phillip Griffiths holds the Guinness World Record for the longest time in the same production - racking up over 30 years on Phantom of the Opera on the West End. I tip my hat to you Phillip... WOW!
The longest running show is The Mousetrap, running from 1952 to the current day, and clocking up nearly 29,000 shows.
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