Stand-up comedian JEN BRISTER shares her latest insights from the Edinburgh Fringe
We’re more than halfway through the Fringe - Hooray!
A dozen shows under my belt and I’ve pretty much used every ounce of emotional energy I have. To be honest, I think I’m ready to go home now. Who’s with me?
Come on guys, I think we can all agree that our shows have been a storming success, albeit in front of four people a night. People have laughed/cried/applauded! (delete where applicable)
What else do I have to prove? 48 people have thoroughly enjoyed my hour! What’s that you say? ANOTHER 12 shows to GO? Ha ha ha! Someone pass me that tube of Berocca will you?
Obviously the best part of writing a show is having it critiqued. As if? For the first time in my six years of performing at the Fringe, I have decided to read some of the reviews out there. Not my own obviously, I’m needy not mental.
There’s something odd and frankly quite ridiculous about being reviewed. A good or bad review from one individual is rarely objective or without personal bias. I can honestly say to you, dear reader, that I have never escaped this Festival without at least one two-star review. It’s impossible.
No matter how good I feel about my show or how proud I am of the time it’s taken for me to construct an hour-long show, write the jokes, work on the pace, the call backs, my delivery and performance; SOMEONE will think that what I’ve produced is no better than watching their Nan knit one and purl one for an hour.
Of course I don’t read my reviews but that doesn’t mean I’m not acutely aware of the bizarre and arbitrary system that is the ‘star’ scale.
You can’t walk through Edinburgh without seeing posters plastered with four and five- star reviews. “A marvel” “Hilarious!” “I would sell my Mum to see this show again!”
I do the same: “Look!” I say “The Edinburgh Evening News think I possess ‘a magnetic personality’. The List have said I am ‘blisteringly funny’. And a bloke who runs his own comedy website has said he’d rather have a Chinese burn to the face than sit through my show again.” Funnily enough, I have neglected to stick that review on my poster.
It’s all smoke and mirrors anyway, just because the Edinburgh Evening News likes my show, doesn’t mean you will! And for those of you that enjoy a Chinese burn to the face, maybe this is the show for you.
I find it fascinating that anyone would WANT to be a critic. I had the misfortune of meeting a guy claiming to be a critic just a few days ago: “Yeah I’m writing reviews for ‘So and so’ magazine. To be honest with you I don’t really know what I’m doing…”
“I’m sorry, what?” “Yeah I’ve never reviewed before…” Oh well that is a colossal RELIEF. Because I’ve only spent the best part of this year working on my show, so it’s great to know you have no idea what the hell you’re doing. I’ll remember to laminate your review and stick it on my fridge FOREVER.
I think what I’m saying is, both to myself and any performer reading this is; to hell with reviews! We’re all here for one reason and that is to entertain the audience in front of us every night. If we can achieve that, then I’m doling out five-star reviews all round.
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