Performance Time

When I started working as a part-time stage actor, I had assumed that longer performance times were better. If the audience pays the same amount of money for their tickets, longer performances might be to their advantage.

Now I think this is not a good idea. I think there is such a thing as a moderate performance period. When I was young, I didn’t care about this. There is a big problem with longer performance times: bathroom breaks.

The mini-theater of which I am part usually doesn’t have breaks during the show. It is a small theater. If an audience member stands up and leaves their seat during the show, this can disturb the performance.

If a theater doesn’t have breaks, I think a moderate performance period may be about an hour and a half. Performance times longer than this challenge my urinating limit. For instance, when the performance reaches its climax, “bathroom” might be the only one thing I can think of. After the show, the actors see off the audience at the lounge. I would want to offer my compliments to the actors, but first, I would have to run to the bathroom.

I try my best to reduce my bathroom breaks. I cut down on drinking fluids. I go to the bathroom right before the show starts. Still, sometimes I can’t keep up. Once, I watched a show whose performance time was three hours, with no breaks. It was pure hell. I can’t remember anything about the show except for needing to go to the bathroom.

Overall, moderate performance times might be essential for good performances.

 

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Family Restaurant

Three friends and I have dinner once a month. Our main purpose for these get-togethers is to talk to one another. We visit a different family restaurant every time we meet. We evaluate the restaurants we visit, and I post the results on social media. We have visited over seventy restaurants.

The highest scorer is Bonne Odeur’s main shop. The lowest scorer is the Loyal Host Gokiso shop.

In front of Bonne Odeur, a sign says, “This is the main shop,” but I know they don’t have any other shops. I heard they once tried to have a franchise, but they gave up. On the other hand, Loyal Host is one of the biggest nationwide chains of family restaurants, with two hundred twenty-three branches in Japan.

I believe this might be the key difference. Bonne Odeur has just one shop. The restaurant’s owner and workers might be acquaintances. The owner’s passion and directions are easily understood by the workers.

However, at the Loyal Host restaurant, most of the workers have never met the owner. Of course, I know there might be good workers at Loyal Host, but it might be difficult for the owner to recognize who these good workers are. So there might be variation in the quality of the workers.

All chain operations might have the same problem. Chain operations have big advantages. A chain group can buy foodstuffs at cheaper prices, and it is easy for the group to raise brand awareness. However, it is difficult to maintain each worker’s motivation.

There is a Japanese saying: “The taste of tempura might change when it is brought to the customer.” A restaurant needs good workers for each section. I guess Bonne Odeur gave up their chain operations because they wanted to serve delicious food to their customers.

It is possible for someone to think that big businesses and small businesses are the same. Sometimes I would be disappointed by a big business. Sometimes a small business would be better than I expected. Still, at least I can say the owner of Loyal Host is richer than the owner of Bonne Odeur.

 

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