I was feeling very worried about the content of my show after a comment from a friend the
other day, though watching a video of last Wednesday’s preview today reassured
me I’m on the right track.
The thing said
that concerned me was, “It’s not comedy”, which is understandably a clanger
& a half if true. The statement was more positive in reality, as
it was followed by “…but it’s very engaging”, but it’s still played on my mind
for most of the week; when I’ve had so little feedback, any nugget I get is over-analysed to the point of ridiculousness.
What was nice on
watching the video back, was the feeling that it already holds together well,
which is a good sign considering the time frame and the fact Wednesday’s show
was the first time I included the songs I’d been so torn about putting in in
the first place. My concern was they’d sit awkwardly next to the stand-up and
slow down momentum, but I didn’t feel that when I looked back at it. Even their
position in the show seemed about right. I’ll probably still take one out, which is a shame as they all fit quite nicely, but if anything, I’d sooner put
at least another chunk of stand-up to balance things out.
The point to
remember is that, while my friend’s comment was valid, there are some caveats.
Firstly, I think it’s harder for people you know to watch you doing stand-up,
particularly considering some of this year’s subject matter, and not feel a bit
awkward about it. Secondly, my friend's perhaps less familiar with the style
of Edinburgh stand-up shows, particularly when they have a common theme.
That’s not to say that I don’t need to add in a few more strong laugh-lines - I
think if I can throw in a few more standard-format jokes it will help it along
- but I do feel it’s beginning to hold together as a whole, and while I know
the content’s a little subtler and less frenetic than last year, it’s no
less valid or comedic; it’s just a little gentler and more truthful than usual,
and there’s no harm in trying something else.