How to get quality feedback.

I once had a friend, (I know, it's hard to believe).  Let's call him Ernie J. Daniels.  He's an actor.  Actually, Ernie was a very good actor.  I worked with him on several projects.  He always did a good job.

One day Ernie called me to let me know that he was cast in a new play.  The plot?  Two teenagers decide to put on “a show” and save the farm.  Sound familiar?  Yeah, like one of those old movies with Judy Garland and that short guy.  Anyway, I went to Ernie’s show. 

I was surprised when Ernie appeared "onstage" as the lead male teenager.  Why did that surprise me?  Because Ernie was in his mid thirties, had thinning hair and had gotten a little heavy.  I'm guessing that the director had a limited number of men auditioning.  I'm sure he felt Ernie did the best job and "cast" him.  I can understand that because Ernie’s a good actor. 

But, the show was what we in the biz call, “bad”, (It’s a theater term.)  Ernie didn’t look comfortable, the audience never believed that this guy was a teenager.  His performance was stilted and the other actors didn’t fare much better.  Lines were dropped, characterization was poor.  In short, it probably wins as the worst production of anything that I have ever seen, (and I’ve seen some bad ones). 

So, at the end of the show, all the actors line up for the curtain call, take their bows to resounding applause, and then come out front to meet their friends and family.  I walked right up to Ernie and…

Did I tell him how poor the production was?  No. 

Did I tell the director how the blocking was sad and many times the actors didn’t know what their lines meant?  No.

Did I tell the other actors how poorly I thought they had done?  No.

I looked Ernie right in the eye, shook his hand, and said, “Good job!  That was fun!  I really enjoyed that.  You did a wonderful job.”

Why? 

- Because I don’t want to hurt his feelings. 

- Because it’s not my job to criticize him. 

Could I have changed anything?  Nope. 

My point is…I think you, as an actor and director need to realize the truth.  You are talented.  You wouldn’t be up on stage if you weren’t.  But also realize that your sketches for your church will be seen by Christians.  Any feedback that you receive from Christians is going to be charitable.  It’s their job. 

          Even at secular theater productions there is plenty of lavish praise thrown around for everyone.  Even if the show was “bad”.

          Well then how do you get honest feedback?  How do you really find out? 

I can assure you that at every show there is someone who will give you honest feedback.  That “someone” will never lie to you.  That “someone” will never glaze over or skirt around the truth. 

Who is that?

The audience.  That’s right.  The audience will never lie to you. 

How do they tell you? 

During funny scenes, (1) are they laughing?  (2) are they quiet?

During dramatic scenes  (1) is the room as still as a tomb?  (2) is there lots of rustling, coughing, etc.?

          There it is.  Honest feedback.   The audience has just told you “how things are going”.  Don’t ignore it.

          Now having said that, you should also know that no two audiences are alike.  So, just because one audience is laughing a little louder than another doesn’t mean your performance was a little better than the other one.  But take your audience reaction as an average across all performances. 

Want a little more honest feedback?  Do you have someone you can trust?  A spouse, best friend, etc., (not your mother).  Set down, (alone), with that "trustworthy" person.  Tell them you are going to ask them serious questions.  Get out a pencil and piece of paper.  Show them that you are serious.  Ask Bob to tell you two good things and one bad thing about Sunday’s sketch.  This gives them an opportunity to praise as well as criticize.  Write down everything they say.  The praise is important too.  You might ask them to do it a second time to get four praises and two criticisms.  I wouldn’t go any deeper than that because I’d be afraid that your friend would start listing little things that didn't matter.   

          Regular theater companies also have another avenue to get feedback that you don’t have.  Ticket sales. 

I doubt very many people are going to start or stop attending church services based on your five minute sketches, but theater companies can tell based on ticket sales to individual shows, as well as, (and probably more importantly), based on ticket sales over a time period.  If tickets sales were graphed from show to show over a period of time, theater companies can tell how the public is perceiving the quality of their shows.  What a great tool they have at their fingertips.