The Secret Reviewer #31: Necessary Roughness
Every month our clandestine critic reveals the murky truths behind that infamous trade, and live comedy generally. This month: Should we pay for a work in progress?
How polished do you like your live performances? A bit rough around the edges, with room to breathe and experiment? Or nailed-down and perfect, with any potential crap bits filtered out? I know which I prefer; well, within reason. Let's not get into improv.
The whys and wherefores of WIPs became a big talking point two months ago, when a stripped-down Edinburgh Fringe started, and a Scottish newspaper writer complained that many acts were charging for WIPs, despite "having had the best part of two years to get a show together". To which Lauren Pattison and several other comics responded with, and I paraphrase heavily here, 'fuck off, mate.'
As Pattison put it:
"Sorry I'm bringing a work in progress and not a...
