Entertainment Matters

In this "Notes" episode inspired by his interview with Ali James, John Blackburn explores the concept of 'Yes And' as a value or way of thinking, emphasizing the importance of exploring ideas before evaluating them. He discusses the difference between 'Yes And' and 'Yes But' and how to start applying this to your own work.

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With Ali James
"How does the small fish get into the boardroom with the shark, as the old metaphor goes..."

In this episode, John Blackburn chats to Ali James - improviser, comedian, producer and director from the improv and musical theatre world.

Ali is the movement director and a cast member with Showstopper! The Improvised Musical, co-director of the London 50 Hour Improvathon and the Southend 48 Hour Improvathon, and co-director of the Pretend Company.

We talk about what it takes to create new shows from scratch, what really happens during a 50-hour Improvathon, and why community, values and “Yes, And” matter so much in her work.

Ali shares what she’s learned about fear, exhaustion, collaboration, and what happens creatively when self-doubt gets quiet. We also explore the challenges of getting new work made, supporting “small fish with a good story”, and why care structures matter in intense creative environments like Edinburgh.

Instagram:

@ali_james22

@thepretendcompany

If you’d like to stay up to date with future episodes of Entertainment Matters, you can sign up for the Entertainment Matters Cue Sheet:

https://www.john-blackburn.com/pod

And thanks, as always, for whatever you do to make live entertainment happen.