My Blog
My Blog
The Roller Coaster Ride
As the producer of Green Forms, the Alan Bennett comedy we are staging in aid of Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, my job essentially boils down to the following three areas of responsibility - to sort the contracts, sell the tickets and sign the cheques. We have an extremely talented cast and director who will stage it and a brilliant production team who will make it all happen. Sitting in the production meeting this week I was full of pride and admiration of the creativity and dedication of all those involved - who are all giving their time for free. With just over a week to go until the first performance it is amazing to think how far we have come since Paul Clayton, Janet Ellis and I sat together in the Groucho Club last summer to work out whether any of this would even be possible.
Producing a show is a strange experience, obviously from my day job, I am very aware what happens and all that it involves - but doing it myself has been a real eye opener as to how all encompassing it is, how much of your brain time it occupies. Then there is the waiting. Knowing that you have put everything in place, but waiting for something to happen, particularly ticket sales.
Now, ticket sales is what I know, so I have had pretty realistic expectations as to what to expect and when, throughout this process. In order not to drive myself to distraction, until Christmas I only received a sales update once a week and I was pretty happy with how things were moving. With a ramping up of activity after Christmas, sales updates have been coming through more frequently and with it the waiting has got harder. What is going to be the tipping point - what is the point when we are going to see an acceleration in sales? I tried to keep my rational head, what would I advise myself if I were my client. I asked members of my team for their interpretation and what they told me was right and correct and it kept me calm (if a little impatient).
However I knew that this week (just gone) was going to be the important one - two weeks out from first performance, that is when sales should start moving. Also people were really going to start to hear about the show - Janet was making a fortuitous appearance on the Wright Stuff on Channel Five all week, some of the free adverts arranged by the amazing Zoe Brown were likely to appear (we got The Telegraph and The Times) and we would be sending out an email to all our contacts.
But by mid week I was worried, putting on a brave face and in an attempt to keep morale up I happily declared (truthfully) that we had had our best couple of days. But, as I confided to my boss, Adam, I was now behind where I thought I should be. We started to talk about what would be successful final number - but in my heart I knew that if we didn’t sell out I would have failed.
What a difference 48 hours makes, spurred on by the email going out, a front page feature on whatsonstage.com and the advert in the Times, sales took off. Suddenly I was having to amend the website every evening as more and more performances sold out. And now as I sit here, typing this blog - the final tickets have been sold and all performances are now sold out and my house tickets are looking as hot as a vindaloo on a Saturday night. It‘s a funny business and it is certainly a roller coaster ride
Now all that needs to happen is for Paul to work his magic to create a fantastic production worthy of our sell out status - which I more than confident he will. As for me, looking at my check list, contracts - done, sell the tickets - done. Sign the cheques - mmm, still a few more of those to do.
Thanks to all who donated, supported and bought tickets. it’s been a fantastic experience and we have raised a substantial amount of money for a fantastic cause. I hope you enjoy the show.
Sunday, 15 January 2012