Perform like it’s the first time and the last time
When I read these words, I think about this old musician’s parable. An orchestra is about to begin a performance of Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony,” arguably the most famous piece of classical music. Backstage, the conductor says, “I know all of you have played this piece innumerable times, and the audience has heard it many times. But tonight, I want you to play for two distinguished guests. One is a little girl who is hearing Beethoven’s ‘Fifth’ for the first time. The second is an old man, who will be hearing it for the last time.”
Enjoy the Show
I don’t believe in rules for performance, because I can always think of exceptions and discrepancies in the arbitrary lines magicians draw. But, to me, this is an unbreakable rule: audiences can always tell when a performer is enjoying themselves. And I can think of plenty of performers I admire in other ways, but who exude a distinctly bothered, indifferent energy onstage. You can sense when someone isn’t have a good time, and that will doom a show as much as any other factor.
“Enjoy the show” is always the last thing I say to myself before I walk onstage.
I hope this helps. I first talked about this concept on Six Impossible Things, a comprehensive collection of my off-Broadway show and more than three hours of explanations afterward. It talks about how to put a show together, I explain my material in the show, and I go over all the details you need to develop original material of your own. If you’d like to check it out, it’s HERE.
Joshua Jay
