BS: Performance idiosyncracy & superstition

Subject: Performance idiosyncracy & superstition
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Feb 02 - 04:45 PM

Heard a discussion, the other day, about an actor who has to have things a certain way before he can perform on camera: first 3 buttons on any shirt have to be unbuttoned; plastic forks and spoons, which he brings with him to the set, with which to eat; and a few others.

I was wondering what little things, do we all do, when performing music, storytelling, etc.? It could be having a lucky penny, certain socks on, or setting up instruments in a certain order, a mantra one speaks aloud or thinks over and over, etc.

Anyway, if you feel like sharing, I think it could be interesting. Thanks!

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Performance idiosyncracy & superstition
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 07 Feb 02 - 05:06 PM

When ever I do catch myself falling into superstitious clap-trap like that, I make a point of changing my routine...

Maybe that's a superstition in itself?

LOL!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Performance idiosyncracy & superstition
From: Dave Wynn
Date: 07 Feb 02 - 08:04 PM

Mine is making sure my Guitar is in it's case before I set off for a gig. Please don't ask why!.

Spot

Subject: RE: BS: Performance idiosyncracy & superstition
From: Mr Red
Date: 07 Feb 02 - 08:18 PM

At the Somers FC, when forgetting the words to a song, someone turned round once and started singing the right words. It became a ritual when people dried to induce them to "twirl".
It usually worked, mostly because it was a friendly ritual and gave the singer time (the engineer in me has to have a mechanism)
BUT the other day someone insisted on the St Stephen invocation (I can't remember the correct saint but Steve will do for the purpose)
If you mislay something in the house what you have to do is turn round three times and say "St Stephen" and you will go straight to it.
Of course the engineer in me insists this is just a coincidence. BUT........

Subject: RE: BS: Performance idiosyncracy & superstition
From: Jeanie
Date: 09 Feb 02 - 12:23 PM

I believe it's St. Anthony for things lost. I only know this because I was in a play once where I was a nun who had lost her pliers - yes, pliers, don't bother asking - and it was St. Anthony she prayed to to find them for her. Yes - some people go very peculiar in the half hour before a play. It's best not to enquire what they are doing and let them get on with it.I have specific routines that only apply to the specific play and that seem to develop from one night to the next and provide a certain reassurance e.g. doing a costume change and always putting the same item on at exactly the same point in the script as I hear it over the tannoy backstage. I can't hear "Grandma's Feather Bed" now without picturing exactly which bit of "Ugly Sister Boudoir Costume" I was putting on during each verse. But that does have some practical value, too. At least you know then that unless they suddenly miss several chunks of text out by mistake (which, let's say, has been known to happen), you are going to get back in time to go on again.

Funnily enough, despite performing all kinds of backstage peculiarities during plays, I've never thought about, or felt a need for any kind of rituals before singing to an audience.

Hope this isn't too much off at a tangent, but there was a lad at Birmingham University who, at age 22, wore his much-too-small school blazer to sit all the exams - for good luck. He would now be nearing 50: wonder if he still does it ?

- Jeanie

Subject: RE: BS: Performance idiosyncracy & superstition
From: Mr Red
Date: 10 Feb 02 - 11:37 AM

St Anthony it is then. Sounds familiar anyway.

Funnily enough my ritual is more a methodology (engineer again) but I prefer to have a reason to sing a song. "The Old Barbed Wire" (or equal) on or near Nov 11th, preferably at 11pm. One of my own songs "Coughton Conspiricy" on Nov 5th because it is about the Gunpowder Plot. If I hear an American accent in the audience I may sing "Blow ye Winds in the Morning", similarly South Australia, Amsterdam , Tamaranui, Farewell to Nova Scotia etc etc. Though one night we had a visitor from Canton and I was stumped but I did give a bit of schpiel about peoples' caberet in the street markets of Hong Kong (no to be beaten).

Subject: RE: BS: Performance idiosyncracy & superstition
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Feb 02 - 02:07 PM

Very interesting! Thanks, ya'll...keep 'em coming!