Horror / Bizarre performances.

Wishmaster wrote:

We all have subjects we’d rather not think about or discuss and that would offend or upset us if presented as some form of entertainment. I find it hard to accept the notion that with the right skill as a performer, anyone could bypass these limits or self imposed boundaries. The obvious question is: if you don’t know what these boundaries are, how can you be sure you aren’t overstepping them?

For example, I know a lady who would enjoy a show around the Tarot, but would be offended if a performer used any bad language. How do you judge audience expectations? Is that even possible?

Let’s say you’re performing a dark themed show for an intimate group. During the show, you realise you have deeply upset or offended an audience member. What do you do? How do you deal with that? Would you use the effect again, or would it depend on how many people were offended versus how many seemed unperturbed? Would the show go on or would you stop briefly and move on to something else?

I was demonstrating Hellstromism once, and no word of a lie, I was told to stop it as I was inciting the occult. Unfortubatley some people will be offended by anything- but that is no excuse for not being sensitive.
Although, if you are too careful I do think that there is the danger of becoming bland and style-less. I couldn't imagine Bill Hicks not swearing, or hating the government, sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. That was his style, uninhibited, but there are ways of doing it without offending anyone at some point- Micheal McIntryre, if we're using the example of comedy, is relativley clean humour. I suppose its personal taste, Id hate to think I was using a performance style being used by loads of other performers.

I remember doing a performance at a dinner party for some friends of mine, and one of my best friends who was a great supporter of my magickal performances recoiled when I produced a miniture ouija board and said "I draw the line here... I won't touch one of those!"
When I assured him that nothing bad would happen, it's all in the name of entertainment (blah, blah, blah) he point blank refused to have anything to do with it and actually looked terrified. I have know him a good number of years and never seen him he look so scared. I put it away and moved onto something lighter, much to his relief.
It turns out, for a few years, he has secretly become a born again Christian and announed to all he knew that Jesus was his saviour. He hasn't spoken to me since that incident and the time he has seen me, I have been given a wide berth!

Freddie Valentine wrote:

I remember doing a performance at a dinner party for some friends of mine, and one of my best friends who was a great supporter of my magickal performances recoiled when I produced a miniture ouija board and said "I draw the line here... I won't touch one of those!"
When I assured him that nothing bad would happen, it's all in the name of entertainment (blah, blah, blah) he point blank refused to have anything to do with it and actually looked terrified. I have know him a good number of years and never seen him he look so scared. I put it away and moved onto something lighter, much to his relief.
It turns out, for a few years, he has secretly become a born again Christian and announed to all he knew that Jesus was his saviour. He hasn't spoken to me since that incident and the time he has seen me, I have been given a wide berth!

I know someone who recorded music with someone but the recording person was a christian and found out that he did seances and asked him to take the music off the net... Religion scares me sometimes.

Religion (and I include science) scares me always (look at history to see why)!