6th September, 2009 - Ideas About Directing #13

Idea 13 – Do Not Neglect Business


Bums on seats luvvie. Bums on seats.

It is no good at all to stage the best play in the world if you don’t have anyone to watch it. If an actor falls in a forest and there is no-one there to hear her, does she actually make any noise? The answer to this is yes obviously since all actors make an inordinate amount of noise all the time (usually about biscuits and dressing room facilities in my experience). But, the thing is nobody will care.

It is your job – like it or not – to get the tickets sold. To get the play talked about. To speak to the press. To e-mail your buddies. To be the guy that everybody hates getting an e-mail from.

And you are not alone, for this job is everyone in the company’s job too. If the circus comes to town and the Big Top is half empty then some ageing acrobat is going to be leaving the show before you hit the road. And it’s such a good show too – and the acrobats are daring and wonderful. Really. You should get a ticket. Wait a minute, I’ve got a leaflet here somewhere.