Why Documenting Your Work Is Crucial

I did a short performance of a brand new piece last  November. Camden People’s Theatre commissioned me to make a short piece on the theme of 25th Birthdays, to celebrate their 25th Birthday. 

I used the occasion to make a start on an idea I’ve had floating around for a while.  I had a title, Age is a Feeling, and a broad idea to explore aging, time and how to live without fearing death.  

I began my research and development several weeks before the event. I asked some questions via my social media: Where did you first begin to feel your age in your body? What were the first signs of aging you noticed? And what advice would you give to yourself at age 25? 

People offered incredibly insightful and funny responses. Maybe you even sent one to me!? 

I also went for a walk in Nunhead Cemetery and got thoroughly freaked out, but came home with an idea for the physical life of the show, and an opening line:
 

“Happy 25th birthday. In anticipation of your celebration, I went to the cemetery and I came back with these [flowers], and a message for you…”
 

I worked diligently on the piece, writing and rewriting, reading it aloud, pacing around my flat, memorising it and hammering out the blocking. Imagine loads of flowers bought at various grocery stores, at varying levels of decay, flying around my living room. 

On the day of the performance I went to the theatre and did a tech run. I was gripped by worry that what I’d created was too macabre, too eerie, too antithetical to the spirit of the event. 

Preemptively, I apologised to Brian (CPT’s Artistic Director), and sat fretting in the corner of the lobby as the audience arrived.

I didn’t invite anyone. I didn’t let you -- my wonderful mailing list know I was doing the performance. And I certainly didn’t ask anyone to take photos or video of the show. 

When it came down to it, the performance went very well. It was funnier than I imagined and people found it moving too. It’s something that I’m very proud of having created.  It’s the beginning of a new piece.

And I have no record of it.

No visuals to use in a funding application or to approach venues with. And all I had to do was ask someone to record it on their smartphone!  Oof.

This is a long-winded plea: Please, please learn from the mistake I repeat and repeat and repeat. Do not let self-doubt stand in the way of documenting your work.  It would be very useful for me if I had a video or a photo at the very least, but alas, everyone was a well-behaved theatre-goer and so, there is no record. Which is beautiful theoretically. But not great for getting R&D support…

DOCUMENT YOUR WORK. Ensure you have proof of concept. Don’t let your fear make it harder to do the thing you love.

And those of you running venues, consider filming everything, asking artists if they want a copy, which they can buy and you can delete can delete. It could be a great way for you to earn a little cash and support anxious artists with precious documentation.

Sending you my best and my promise that I will tell you when I’m performing Age is a Feeling next.

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