Agents - What makes a good Agent?

Just recently I decided to let go of my agent. I can honestly say that this process is one of the tougher choices I've made in my career, as I know how easy it is to 'blame' someone else for a lack of something in my life. Also, performers are notorious for 'not liking' their agents, so I've spent a great deal of time thinking about do I stay or go and why? Plus, it's not always that easy to find a replacement, but this will be my first time, so we'll see how it goes.

Well, I've been fortunate that I've managed to have some really good conversations lately. All have come to the same conclusion - let my agent go. At the end of the day, for me, it's an instinct thing. I'm not naive, I don't believe another agent will necessarily get me more work, but I would like a better working relationship. So I've learnt what I don't want and what I'm looking for.

Not wants:

- someone who gives me the brush off when I ring them
- someone who doesn't get all the information or rushes through it to make it difficult to get it all down
- someone I'm afraid to speak to or drags up mistakes from the past like a broken record
- someone who doesn't listen to the changes I'm making in my career and puts possible jobs I know I don't want or feel are not my type in front of me, even though I've told them they aren't the jobs I want
- someone who talks down to me
- someone who says, "You'd better get this one....", I think this was meant to be encouraging, but really?!

Wants:

- someone who'll get back to me, if they can't speak to me when I call
- someone who'll give me constructive feedback on my work and promotion material
- someone who is friendly and listens to the direction I want to take with my career and gives useful feedback
- someone I like
- someone who'll work with me to get the best out of the working relationship eg: suggest getting a show reel or new photos, etc.
- someone encouraging

So folks, I'm not sure I'll find, this utopia, but I'll shoot for the stars and look forward to hitting the moon - at least! If I don't ask, I'll never get it. Re-reading this through, it doesn't seem too much to ask!

Acting Singer vs. Singing Actor

For the last two years I have had the great experience of working with Scott Williams and the Impulse Theatre Company in London, learning Meisner acting technique. I think I'm one of a very small operatically trained singers who have chosen to learn this acting technique.

I'm now coming to the end of my two years and am about to play Isabella Bird, Joyce and Mrs Kidd in Carol Churchill's, Top Girls, and wondering how do I all myself? Am I the acting signer or the singing actor? To be honest, I fell I'm both, but does this mean I have to market my work in two different ways to two different arenas of the performing arts or just choose one and run with that for awhile?

Recently, I had some advice to do the later; say I'm actress with singing as a skill. I wonder, if there are others out there who have faced the same dilemma or who are going through the same thing? I'd love to hear your experiences. Dx

African Sanctus

African Sanctus

Performed by Boundstone Community Chorus. Concert includes African Sanctus and a new composition for percussion called Monsoon by festival director Chris Gander. Soloist is Debbie Bridge with Adam Bushell and Tom Norrell on percussion

BUSKING – COVENT GARDEN STYLE THE ELUSIVE PART-TIME JOB

‘Busking!’, the title above alone may make most an opera singer turn their noses up and straight out of the room (for those of you who do not know what busking means - To play music or perform entertainment in a public place, usually while soliciting money. I believe they are missing out. I don’t know about the rest of you, but definitely, if you are female, soprano and classical in your singing orientation, consistent work which is within the genre, flexible and has the potential to pay well and is not teaching, well …. It’s hard to come by, but this suits me down to a tee. What better place to do it, than in Covent Garden, London – the heart of the West End.

In one of my earlier blogs, I was looking just for this and what great ways to keep my skills up if not improve them. There is nothing like working with the public and believe me I’ve done it, in various guises; tour guide, restaurant manager, popcorn seller, voice coach, Denny’s hostess – when they still had the polyester uniforms, toilet cleaner, etc…. Here I have found a real appreciation from the public, plus a few hecklers along the way. Still what better way to face any performing fears than in front of the general public? What a great opportunity to really see whether what is being done, as a performer is being communicated well.

I will say, it’s not for the faint hearted or, if you are faint hearted; be very willing to roll with the good and bad, know that what you may get in your basket isn’t always a reflection of how good or bad you are; as some crowds may be very attentive, but not so willing to part with their spare change.

You know, this blogg’n thing may actually work, putting it down on paper and out to the world, makes the mind work towards the goals which a person may wish to achieve – it works, if ya work it!

Muscle Memory

Recently I did an acting class at the Actors Centre in London and the teacher, Nikki Flacks, said memorising lines is just a muscular activity. In other words, everyone can do it, but the muscles need to be worked to get better. As most of my work has been memorising songs, which I find quite easy, as the tune seems to help me get it in my memory faster, plus often there is the added advantage of repeats, but the monologue is a bit more elusive for me. It could have something to do with the fact that at a very young age I was suppose to memorise the poem, 'Flanders Fields'. I remember I was very nervous and scared about doing it, as I was having great difficulties remembering it. One by one we were called to the front to say the poem, I was one of the first to be called - curses for having a last name which starts with a 'B'.

There I was, in front of the whole class, knees knocking, brain freezing and the kid before me made it look soooo easy! I think I remember saying something, but it came out all backwards and wrong. I was mortified and demoralised. I managed to shuffle back to my seat with my heart in my stomach. Only to find the next kid reciting it well, but then stumbled and do you know I knew what the line was - this didn't help console me, I still felt....stupid. It created a dislike and avoidance of poetry throughout my childhood and teens.

It was not until I went to college that I found the joy and beauty of poetry.

I am digressing, the point is from this one little incident as a child grew a life long fear of saying lines in front of a group of people. I have since learnt I am dyslexic, something which was not so understood when I was a kid, as it is today. Somehow I managed to get a degree and not be aware of my dyslexia.

Still I am left to face those childhood fears and I am ever so grateful to be reassured that it is a muscle like any other and I can just start to give it a good work out, so that it becomes like a song. Now I just need to find the old poetry book and dig out .....'In Flanders Fields the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row,...'

Impulse vs Emotion

At the moment, I'm lucky enough to be doing a Meisner acting course with the Impulse Theatre Company. Yes, I know...an opera singer doing acting lessons?! Can this really be? Well, all I can say, is this is a new age of singing.

Anyway, we had a talk, recently, about the difference between an impulsive actor vs. an emotional actor. I'd much rather be the former than the later, as emotions can get me really stuck in myself and my own gunk. It's not that being an impulsive actor has no emotions, but I find it much easier to leave them at the end of the exercise or song or performance. I mean, I don't carry it off the stage with me or, as has been a problem at times, I've had the experience where I've been having a lot of emotion, but those listening haven't had the same experience.

My last concert was very different. I just went with 'the impulses' and it went really well. There were no wrongs or rights there was just the moment - the impulse - Fantastic! So opera singers - act!

Part-time rant!

Ack, I know I’m not alone in the cash flow problems of working in the performing arts. Even after so many years in the industry I’m still working on ‘nipping this in the butt’. I’ve worked, honed and polished my skills and talents, but struggle to get the business side of things.

The latest thing is for me to really sort out the ‘cash flow’ problem. I’m no longer relying on family or partner. So I’m hunting for that ‘part-time’ job. The term makes me shake in my boots, as I’ve been here before. I never wanted to go back to this, but the current economic climate means I need to make some money some way to keep the performing career going. Actually I’m so suited to such an economic climate, as I’ve been living this way my whole performing life, so what’s the big deal!

So what can I do differently this time, so I don’t have the same experiences as before? I ask myself, again! What I’ve come up with so far is as follows:

- Temping, restaurant, teaching or what?

The one I’m going for is ‘what’. As I’ve tried most of the above and either don’t feel its right for me or just don’t like it – life’s too short! The perfect job would be part-time, flexible, and pays well – hm – am I asking too much? Teaching does offer this, but to be frank, I’m really tired of people who just don’t turn up or expect to learn all there is to know about singing in one lesson.

I was talking to my friend, about this cash flow problem; he has an accounting back ground, and said to him, “I’ve applied to work for the Christmas Postal sorting. It would be a short-term contract, but I wasn’t sure if they only offered full time hours” (I’ve since found out part-time is fine). His reaction was, why can’t I do full time? Boy the amount of times I’ve run into this one, does no one out there truly understand that working in the arts is a full time job! Even when ya work from home! What’s up with the world, I’m not a lazy bum sitting at home; in fact, I tend to be a work-a-holic. It’s got me into trouble many times, as it’s not wise to work ‘the other’ job full time and do the artistic career without running out of steam at some point. It’s a clear reminder to me that if someone close to me can’t see that I’m not able to do it all, then how is the potential ‘part-time’ job going to be sympathetic? Ho, Hum.

Oh the woes, still I’m hopeful to earn some money making sure those Christmas cards find you safe and warm at home.

If there’s anyone out there whose mastered this balance or has ideas of that ‘perfect part-time, well paid, and flexible’ job, I’d love to hear from ya!

Dx