The Second You Stop Trying…
As mentioned back in this piece about pleasant surprises, the show I did this year at the Melbourne Magic Festival received a quite startlingly good review in The Age - the second biggest newspaper in Melbourne.
Here it is, scanned and archived within moments of appearing in the paper (click on the image for a larger version).
After reading the review in question, it was so positive that I found myself wondering briefly whether someone had been bribed to write it.
I was then struck by two ironic things.
Firstly, that the review could do nothing to benefit the show it was written about. When you’re producing a show, the most important thing about a review is the effect it can have on ticket sales. A good review literally means money in the bank, better show attendance, and an all round great experience for everyone involved. Normally a review like that would have me bouncing off the walls, ready to dine out on the flood of people it would bring to the show. This time it merely gave me a much needed confidence boost as I headed off to try not to suck at the world championships.
The second ironic thing was that this was pretty much the first show I had ever done where I completely and totally did not give a shit about reviews or media coverage. Every other time - the Comedy Festival, in Hollywood, at Edinburgh, and in Perth, and everywhere else - I had busted a nut to try and get reviewed, with highly varying degrees of success. This was pretty much the first time I was too busy and preoccupied to care.
And - obviously - that’s when The Age decides to send (according to several theatre friends) one of their most lauded and feared theatre critics, who proceeds to give the show such a glowing review that I have to do a double take that he’s actually taking about me.
So, thank you to Cameron for the startlingly good review, which I will be quoting voraciously from for quite some time.
It’s funny how these things so often appear the moment you stop looking for them.
About The Author
Reminds me of when I rang John Pinder at The Last Laugh and said, “I am sick of doing my show in the lounge room. Can I come and do it for you?” He booked a lunchtime which also was the day of The Logies so only 3 people turned up. Pinder said he hated it. Tim Woods said Sam Angelico was sick and could I fill for 3 nights and the other person (Jonny Ladd) said ring this friend in Sydney. The upshot was Pinder booked me for 3 months doing midnight show after Circus Oz and the Sydney guy got me onto Russian Cruise ships. After 3 months Pinder asked me to come back and do some more midnight shows and I said I would rather do the main show and the rest is history. TRICKS played The Laugh and then various venues for a year around the country. I hope you enjoy your residency as it is the continuous and regular performances that improve your skills. Bravo and well done Simon!