Solo Performance in Perspective

Here are a few ideas about solo performance that I’ve arrived at after doing quite a bit of it. I think there are definite things to take into consideration that will help you as a solo performer. First thing to realise is solo performance very different to being in a group work. It has a very different dynamic, obviously. It is in a sense much more dangerous so the more you understand it before you start, the better.
The first thing then to consider is to discriminate between being
A. A performer.
B. A communicator.
The Performer.
This is someone who supplies a service. They serve an audience, director, writer, etc. They very concerned with technique. Impersonation. Looking right. Sounding right. They are not interested in expressing themselves, only in serving to entertain.
The Communicator.
This is someone who fulfils a need for the truth to be told. They are performing to express themselves. They don’t provide a service because they have something to say personally, from the heart, to the audience. They not so concerned with appearance and technique. They not perfectionists.

Now. Ask yourself. Which one am I? If all you wish is to serve to entertain. You are a performer. If you personally have something to bring forth to put in front of the audience, then you are a communicator.

What I have outlined falls in line with great realisation of method school that an actor should ‘be’, rather and ‘act’. A performer ‘acts’, and a communicator just is. A performer has ‘technique’ with which he impresses people, a communicator has his passion which he hopes will carry the day.
Having tackled the main issue let’s move on to some sub issues. First. You must own your own space, as a solo performer, when on stage. One exercise that will help with this is to practise saying “I am!” very loudly in public spaces. This teaches you, owning your space to do with you only, and not the audience. Also it means being unconventional or free of public opinion. To play effectively a mass murderer you would have to go against people’s ideas of right behaviour.
Now. What to perform? Many performer’s choose to sing other people’s songs. This even demanded by the producers of shows like the X factor. And of course in straight theatre it often someone else’s script. But think. It is much easier and more effective to perform your own script, for this is your voice. For good or bad. And. Should you wish to discover more about yourself, creative writing and performance is a good way to do it. Don’t fall into trap of thinking that if you are a performer you are not, or can’t be, a writer. We all of us can do everything. The things we can’t do being merely ‘latent potential’. Or something we have just not focussed on.
Writing. All writing is performance captured on paper. It is a false perception to see it as literature, poetry, post modern fiction, or whatever. Don not get trapped into thinking that writing has anything to do with making marks on paper or typing in your computer. We are writing when we talk to a friend inasmuch as we ‘make up’ what we say. We ‘write’ it. Think!
Audience. All audience’s are the same. If you think opera audience different to football crowd you wrong surprisingly. The group-mind exists wherever people come together. And it always the same. It universal. This minor point but don’t expect the audience to vary in it’s response. It won’t.

Music. Theatre. Comedy. Do you need different approach? Answer no. There are elements of all in all. If you are trying to write any of said, remember to try and drop any kind of agenda you have. Don’t try to be funny if writing comedy. Don’t try to be theatrical for theatre, darling! Allow it to be true to itself. The agendas we have are not a product of our true selves, they are a product of ideas and beliefs thrust on us by an unfeeling social machine. Heavy.
Scripted and improvised. Only an extremely experienced performer could impro his show. You need a script. But a script is only a fossilised improvisation. As we write we improvise in a considered way. For example. “It’s true you look good”. (Consider.) “It’s true that beauty is in you.” (Consider.) “It’s true that your beauty shines like the new morning sun!” TICK! The opening idea was an impro and the considering part was writing. But it does begin with impro.
Another writing point is to begin with a concept or conceit as the Elizabethans liked to call it. This is just an idea that informs the whole thing. After that finding a structure will also help greatly. Structure greatly helps to increase meaning. These things belong to the considering part but it all does start with impro.

So! Are you ready to begin? Do you know what your are?
Well. It doesn’t really matter as the above are not firm fixed rules but merely guidelines to help you think about performing. Nothing is really set in concrete. All things overlap. Or as Stanislavsky said: “Is that my hand in the ice bucket? Help!”