Wednesday 29 July 2009

Gen Nexters - A blog written in the summer of 2009 and never posted...

...I thought given the time that has passed and that we have just entered 2011 that there was something particularly poignant about posting this now. To see how much I have changed and, indeed, stayed the same within that short space of time.

When you trawl the internet for interesting words and opinions as much as I do you can often be stuck for what to write or what to say because there are so many other people saying it for you, often better, but as I was reading Fringe preview articles in The List this afternoon I came across the following phrase, stated by Ella Hickson, young female playwright responsible for "Eight" and this years Fringe offering, "Precious Little Talent"...


"My generation is having to face up to its own mediocrity pretty quickly. We were told, “Get a good education, a degree, and your life will be sorted”, but that’s just not the case anymore. We’re a generation fighting not to be forgotten and I wanted to address that."


The last half of this statement really struck me. It made me start to think about the notion of the "twenty-something" and expectations...thinking in a sort of rambling way so if this post never actually reaches a logical conclusion they I do apologise (do you see what I meant by doing it better!)


It's probably fairly safe to say that not everyone is an ambition-addled over achiever who know what they want to do and are fixated on having this achieved, and perhaps even have it peak and level out, before they turn 30. In fact people like this in the "twenty-something" bracket are few and far between. Those who know me well will be the first to say that I fall under this banner, and they wouldn't be wrong, but even I lack faith in what is going on and where I am going sometimes.


Are we a generation fighting not to be forgotten or are we in fact drifiting along in a confused state until we hit a signpost that will point us down the right path to achievement?


In my opinion a lot of us spend the first half of our twenties not worrying greatly about what is around the corner, and quite rightly so, because it's too early to think about. We're young, practically children in the grand scheme of things, what's the rush? We'll figure it out when we get there. Just follow the formulaic 3-step programme, as detailed above and all will be fine; good education, degree and then good job - sorted! Win!


Hmmm, well, I did that...checked those three (well, 2 and a half!) boxes...so why do I not feel any closer to being where I want to be?


Well first of all there are no jobs, in the main this is down to the economic climate, something that is outwith the control of us mere mortals. Yet the flow of graduates is not decreasing, industry can't sustain the volume of qualified clever clogs looking for high-paid and rewarding work in their chosen field.


What we are getting are call centres full of over-qualified, gradually becoming apathetic, "twenty-somethings" with their aspirations dwindling. It's very difficult when you've got student loans to repay and the cost of living in the real world to contend with to throw caution to the wind and bin the 9-5 in search of the dream job which may be just that, a dream.


Perhaps we aren't facing up to mediocrity but trying desperately to find a way to fight it as it closes in on us. Money certainly isn't everything and shouldn't be the facilitating factor in ultimate happiness, for most people anyway, but then again living below the poverty line and receiving post-interview rejection letters is pretty fucking miserable.


Second of all, the time when just leaving Uni, getting a high paid job of any description - it didn't matter what as long as it paid well and embodied a certain element of power and/or responsibility - before getting married and pumping out a few kids equalled satisfaction has long since passed. There's a certain element of pressure to have a goal beyond this, specialise in something and do everything you can to acheive it.


As a generation we do want more, we don't want to be forgotten and we want to be able to do what we want to do and be rewarded for it. Where the challenge lies is figuring out how to do that.


Tuesday 14 July 2009

Post-Festival Blues

The first Glasgow Cabaret Festival is done and dusted, closing with Dr Sketchy Glasgow and a bit of a post-sketching soiree at The Arches.



It's a funny thing working on a project of that nature and scale; a years worth of pre-production flies by and then a week can feel like year and then it's over...all done, in a blink!



With 26 shows (that we know of) across 13 venues in the city of Glasgow, 5 sell-outs within our core programme and an amazing finale show at the ABC on Saturday night I spent most of the whole week waiting for the other big sparkly shoe to drop.



Launching a festival for the first time, particularly one that involves a new concept for the discerning arts audience is risky business, especially when you are completely unfunded. Normally such ventures start incredibly small, building over a number years from their infancy to something of the size that Glasgow Cabaret Festival ended up being in its inaugural year and that, quite frankly is overwhelming, I'm reeling a little bit.



And as such my body now doesn't know what to do - a week of going to shows every night, early starts and even later nights, very little normal behaviour such as eating and sleeping taking place and imbibing alcohol every night with some of the most talented people I've had the pleasure of working with to date...wow, that sounds like a Festival doesn't it? How did that happen?



At RwP HQ I am still collating statistics; full head counts throughout the week for all the venues, tickets sold, revenue (hah!) generated, press garnered, performers participating etc. I smell an epic debrief....ew!



My partner and cohort Rufus is roaming the room like caged animal, having pulled off the biggest project of our careers to date with relatively few hiccups has left us feeling somewhat restless. And another amazing result of all this is...the Fringe...which would normally be filling us with throat drying fear around about this time of year feels like, dare I say it, that it might be a walk in the park (famous last words!)



GCF 09 highlights for me include having the pleasure of enjoying not one, not two but THREE nights of the amazing Frisky & Mannish. It felt a little like they were saying, "Oh hey Lucille, here's the bar, come join us up here!"



Late night nonsense spent with Beatrix von Bourbon.



The Redettes, my lovely new singing trio, making their debut at the altogether too spectacular Missy & Leyla Show.



Gushing aside; mostly I'm humbled, the level of support and belief that Rufus and I received from the Cabaret scene at large in the UK, not just in Scotland, was not only hugely positive it was massively touching. People got behind this concept and united to make it happen, Rufus and I have always known what a great support network we have and for that we are stupidly grateful but the past week showed us something we didn't know existed - it went beyond professional amicability, it was bordering on camaraderie.



I am unsure yet how next year will pan out, all I know is that there is absolutely the desire to make it happen. And I have some ideas; creatively and commerically. With a successful example to present I know I can do this festival and everyone involved in it this year and prospective participants of 2010 real justice.



Roll on the Fringe, if it's half as successful I can retire...