Outdoors, Outstanding?

I was able to do my one man show again the other day. If you have not heard or read anything about it from me, I should explain briefly. Some time ago, I was in a one person show workshop, and developed a piece that parodies the life of Mark Twain as well as the existing one man show based on him by Hal Holbrook, who is incredibly of no relation. Since then, I've had the opportunity to do it a few times.

So far, it's been successful with each staging. This most recent time would have to be the least successful, but by rights I can claim only partial responsibility. The thing is that the setting was a difficult one. There was a carnival at church, and a variety of booths were there for amusement purposes. People were just meandering around, and there was no real dedicated seating area for the small main stage where my performance took place.

It's tough for anyone to hold the crowd when there is no place for the crowd to be held to, and then there are the many distractions of being outdoors among so many competing entertainment options. There is also the truism that comedy often struggles outside of a relatively intimate environment, and the outdoors is as much the opposite of intimate as anything. I'll say at least that I did adequately, if not well enough to overcome matters beyond my control.

I continue to harbor the desire to further develop the piece. Knowing how difficult things would be on this occasion, I went ahead anyway because I wish to polish and tighten the thing in ways that are only possible with repetition. I doubt whether I will find it valuable to do the same thing again, but I believe generally in an "anytime, anywhere" sort of ethos. I just hope that next time the where is someplace like the Pantages Theatre.