I think I got It, People!
I’d like to thank everyone who came out to the REDCAT last Weds for my special tapings. We did it. It wasn’t looking great for me after that first show but we got it with the second show.
I’m not saying the first show was bad. It wasn’t. It was an enjoyable show for people to have watched. There was something about the energy that wasn’t good for me. I knew exactly what it was. Polite and low key. No matter what I did. I couldn’t get them over the hump. I think it had something to do with the venue.
The Redcat is a medium-sized, black box theater. Which means, no proscenium. Just a big space that you can build whatever you want in. We had a beautiful set design and the shots are going to look great. We had all the room we needed to move the cameras how we wanted. I definitely understood why we chose to shoot there technically but I think there is a reason why more comedy specials aren’t shot in theaters like that.
An old vaudeville house or theatrical venue from the early 1900s has its own personality. Many are beautiful but you don’t think about it much once the show gets started. They are old theaters built to have things happening on stage. Their personalities aren’t intrusive once the lights go down.
The black box variety of theaters are sparse. No personality. The expectations are different. I think the black box is where people expect to see experimental theater, modern weirdness, the raw stuff. They’re built for that. I think there is an intensity to those type of sparse spaces that creates a floating, almost insecure place for the audience. All these are fine attributes but I’m not sure that the weighty expectations of the space itself are great for a straight up comedy show. I was thinking about this days before we shot the special. I noticed it when I stood on the stage during the tech day.
So, the first show was at 7pm on a Wednesday. They were a good enough audience but I’m not sure they were focused or comfortable because I could feel them enjoying it but I needed more laughter. And yes, I will blame the time and the space. It was fine. Good even.
In between shows I knew the onus was on me. How do I adjust my approach to stay open and get everyone into a groove? Well, I could hear when Luke Schwartz was opening for me that they were just more focused and juiced. I went out there and just blew it open. It was a great show. I made room for some looseness and some riffing and it was solid. Good laughs, good pace. I felt good after.
It was scary though. Heading into a second show knowing that was the only chance I would have to get the special I wanted. The first show was good, usable. But I would know when watching it that it didn’t click the way I wanted it to.
It’s all done now and it's almost like it didn’t happen. I’ll see an edit this week. I’m considering doing the set in a few cities I didn’t hit on the tour before the special comes out. We’ll see.
Today I talk to John Goodman. Sweet guy. Heavy heart. Love him. On Thursday my GLOW costar Kate Nash talks to me about pop stardom and the rise and fall or her star. Great talks.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron