Getting back on the rollercoaster

How often do you feel like you can’t go on?  Post lockdowns many of us are still feeling ‘on the edge’ emotionally. I feel like I’m puffing up that hill like Casey Junior (the animated steam train in Disney’s Dumbo) who ‘thought he could’, nearly gave up, and then, just as he reached the high point of the track dipped down and he coasts euphorically downhill.

Life’s like that for most of us. A real rollercoaster, with or without a pandemic. It’s all part of the human condition. We’re pushed to the brink and then, from nowhere, we get the chutzpah to pull it out of the bag. When it all comes together, we rejoice in how we feel and quickly forget the pain and struggle of getting there.

It’s the will to survive the situation we’re in, and let’s face it, there are many people far worse off than those of us given the state of the war-torn world right now. We need to carry on even when we don’t think we can because there’s a whole lot of public waiting for us to come down the other side again.

Live entertainment has had more than its fair share of challenges over the last two years. Casts and crews castrated by Covid, venue closures, lack of staff, funding cuts, the rising cost of living, and more. Those who survive these dark times will reap the eventual rewards for their resilience and willpower. We still need shows on stages, workshops, places to create, and opportunities to laugh and relax.

This shouldn’t be top-down either – please support the grassroots organisations that provide opportunities for new acts to spread their wings. The big names and shows have simply pushed back tours originally scheduled over two years ago, so we need to make space for those who are waiting in the wings to debut at a festival or get some stage time to test their material. 

Our health and wellbeing are nourished by this emerging army of creators who want to make us laugh, play music, sing, act, improvise and do all this in person, in front of you, so that they can get a human response after two years of performing online. The reward is all the greater for the wait and, as I witnessed at the final of last year’s Funny Women Awards, the talent was off the scale fed by the reactions of a live audience.

This summer, feast on the new and emerging talent that’s coming your way – please go and support live performances of whatever you love in your neighbourhood and further afield. Mix up your TV favourites with some acts you’ve never heard of, yet! Seek out the stars of the future and when it comes to comedy don’t rely on what they serve up as ‘new talent’ on your telly box. It’s edited and packaged up and barely resembles the excitement you get from a live stage show.

Being entertained in a live environment is always the best and most real experience, and even if it’s a bit rough and ready, go with the flow. Remember that everybody starts at the bottom of that hill so please be there to support them as they reach the top! This is what makes the rollercoaster of life fun and rewarding for us all – whether we are performing or enjoying the ride in the audience.