Entry for June 01, 2007

I have spent the whole day running through Sketchy! It was a really productive day - two full runs of the show, and plently of time to iron out the details.
It is an interesting thing about comedy shows - the audience generally only sees them once (or indeed in some of the shows I produce, they only see about half of them once, and then sidle out the back door during the interval) - but the amount of time that goes into that experience is extraordinary. Jokes and sketches are written, and rewritten and scrapped and revived. Then the actors change little bits. Then you try delivering the scenes in various ways. Then you have to alter things to allow for props and costumes and the practicalities of any given theatre. Only after all of that is the audience admitted.
I think comedy is a frightening thing for most of the actors. Rehearsals are often deadly serious - at one stage we had quite a detailed discussion about whether "Jobby", Keech" or "Dog's Dirt" was the funniest term to use at a critical moment in one sketch. And no - I'm not going to tell you which one we plumped for. You'll need to buy a ticket, if you want to find out. (I'm trying to generate a feeling of suspense in you here, in the hope you'll come along... Is it working....? Is it....? Is my use of dots after every sentence creating a strong desire to come along and see what the show's like...? Only you know your deepest desires...)
Today was the first chance we got to see everyone in costume and I think it gave everyone a lift. From my point of view the funniest thing in the show is my pal AJ in his rather attractive size 16 leggings and jazz boots. It is easy to see why he has always been in high demand with the ladies.