I love the movie Young Frankenstein, but if things didn’t go the right way, there’s a chance it might have never been released.
The first test screening of “Young Frankenstein” was a disaster. The movie ran well over two hours, and the audience was restless. Brooks told them: “Ladies and gentlemen, you’ve just seen a two-hour-and-22-minute failure. In less than three weeks, I want you back here to see a 95-minute smash-hit movie.” The director then locked himself in the editing room and pared every scene until the movie clocked in at 90 minutes. And the audience loved it.
So what’s the “Absolute Easiest, Nearly No Effort Way To Have A Better Show?”
Take out the weakest tricks, jokes, and bits. What could be easier than not doing the tricks? It’s not extra work. In fact, it’s LESS work. Is this an over simplification? Why, yes. Yes, it is. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have merit. In fact, it has a TON of merit.
Over thirty years ago I received this same advice, but without Igor and singing Puttin’ On The Ritz. I was regularly a middle act at my local comedy club, but like all acts I wanted to headline. The club manager said to me, “You’re doing fine, but as a headliner you have to consistently kill.” How does one go from fine to consistently kill? One way is to take out the weakest tricks, jokes, and routines.
Is there a downside to this?
Yes, obviously. If a movie goes from 142 minutes to 90 minutes, you still have a movie and everybody is happy. An act going from 45 minutes to 34 minutes may not be received as well. But the elimination of weakness is still the path, because only by removing the weaker routines can they be replaced with stronger routines.
This process isn’t necessarily enjoyable. In writing it’s given the wonderful name of “kill your darlings.”
Killing your darlings at the keyboard is the start of killing on stage.
Though this post started with Mel Brooks, it was inspired by a conversation I had with a club manager over thirty years ago. I’m not exaggerating when I say that small bit of advice he gave me has lead to a big chunk of my career and has been a big help providing for a my family.
The Power of a Small Bit of Advice
Listen, I’m all about the benefits of books. Big books. Small books. Love’em. I not only have a large library, but I’ve written several books. That being said, the power of small bits of advice, no more than a few paragraphs, has been a blessing to me.
So why not have the best of both worlds? That is, a book filled with 365 “small bits of advice, including …
Venues explored include: Theaters. Amusement parks. TV. Festivals. Schools. Corporate. Ships. And More.
Topics explored include: Writing. Packing small & playing big (of course). Back of the room sales. Comedy strategies. Road stories. Marketing. Travel tips. Sleight techniques. Santa. Livestock. Illusions for the Non-Illusionist. Mostly Stage. A Dash of Close-up. Emergencies. Making Close-Up Play On Stage. The Worst Thing. Cussing. The Greatest Kid Show Trick. The Joke Not To Do. Bad Room Conditions. Recommended Books. Introductions That Crush. Packing Tips. Strolling Set Structure. Dork vs Creep. Tech Challenges. Tips. Before the Show. Getting Older. Get Better By Getting Worse. Cups & Balls. When To Lie. Standing Ovation Show Structure. And More.
And over a dozen routines for stage.
That’s my new book, Magic 365. Get more details here.
