Not Every Show is Great

I had a fantastic gig last night. The crowd was warm and friendly - the volunteers plentiful and responsive. The gags flowed and the laughter roared.

Not every show is amazing. Some are hard work. Sometimes I struggle to get an audience buzz going.

There is rarely just a single reason that a show falls flat. It takes a number of things. Each on its own might not matter, but when they all strike at once it can be mortifying.

A difficult venue layout, problems with the sound, a group interested only in drinking, some badly behaved punters, a couple of douchebags and what might be a great night becomes a hard slog that everyone knows could have been much better.

When this happens it can take me a few days to get over it. Mostly - I feel bad for the good people who deserved a fantastic time and did not get it.

I have been there more than once now. I usually don’t post on social media in case my client reads it and takes it wrongly. Sometimes although I am deflated, other people often are strangely happy with the night.

I worry also that some future customer might read this and go on to book someone else who is no better but does not own up to their shortcomings.

I’m good at what I do. Possibly very very good. But I am not invincible. Every now and again the show just does not “get there”.

When starting out or when one is not a “famous big name”, then the crowds are smaller, the venues tougher, and the risks higher.

It is a part of being an entertainer. But I still would not swap this for a 9-5 job.