Tonight’s a special night in the Jackson household.
It’s Fox’s penultimate performance as the longest-running Billy Elliot in London.
He’s got over 200 friends and fans turning out to cheer him on.
It’s a nice round number, and it reflects the 200 shows he’s performed since he first took to the stage.
Just think about that for a second.
How does anyone keep their enthusiasm up when they’ve done something a couple of hundred times?
The first few times, it’s a case of conscious competence.
You maintain your focus by thinking through every move.
After a while, this becomes unconscious competence.
Unfortunately, some people see this as ‘muscle memory’.
That’s when autopilot beckons.
However, Fox has figured out a way to compartmentalise his brain.
He lets half of it take care of the performance – hitting his marks and making the moves.
But the other part of his brain is very much alive.
He’s thinking about the instructions that Nick, Lee and Damian give him at every rehearsal call.
“Think about the space, connect with the other cast members, express your emotions.”
It means that even after 200 shows, every performance is fresh and new.
The next time you think you’re going through the motions, try focusing on ways to re-energise your performance.
Bring something new every time.
And break a leg.
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