Amid everything else in the world, I (and the Virtually Opera team) have just started crowdfunding for Come Bargain With Uncanny Things and two other shows to appear as the Come Bargain trilogy.
Otherwise, let’s answer the title question.
1. It’s bloody cool
Put bluntly, of everything I’ve ever made, Come Bargain With Uncanny Things is unequivocally the most ‘cool’. It’s exciting, it reaches all sorts of audiences, and it’s absolutely achieving my usual goal of beautiful entertainment.
But Come Bargain With Uncanny Things doesn’t stand alone. It’s one way to bring audiences into a supernatural world where they can do magic and also explore how they relate to each other and their world, but I realised during the first run that there are two big holes in the drama.
When we ask “how should we relate to the Uncanny Thing (and thus each other and our world)?”, Uncanny Things presents that as if we-the-audience are equals. The full trilogy lets audiences enter the comedic Come Worship Our Uncanny King, where we-the-audience are weaker, imploring an eldritch king, and the tragic Come Murder An Uncanny Thing, where we-the-audience are stronger, asked to pass judgement on a captive Uncanny Thing.
Altogether, I think people will be able to have a bloody amazing time. So it’s worth it.
2. The audience is in charge
But crowdfunding puts the audience in charge. Instead of asking “what would the [FUNDER] need to give us money?”, we ask “what would our audience need to give us money?”
Is this a show they’d actually want?
Since beautiful entertainment is for the audience, it’s worthwhile putting them front and centre right at the start. Do they want merchandise? Insights into the world? Connection with the creators?
It means we’re thinking about our audience-community straight away, and deepening our connection. If we’re trying to make a more egalitarian opera, that’s a good place to start.
If you donate, you can be part of that.
3. We learn more
Finally, we get constant feedback from potential supporters, audience members and artists.
Our potential artists can tell us whether they’re excited about the show, and what draws them to it.
And our potential and actual supporters can tell us what draws them to the show - which is making it very clear that, yes, people want this fey, uncanny world to come to life, and fall into a gothic-wyrd world.
It is also, of course, very affirming to have people believe in you and say so. “I will probably never get to see this show but it simply must exist” is a personal favourite. So thanks to everyone who's commented so far.
