Edinburgh Fringe performer fights back tears as 'a third of her audience walk out'
A performer at the Edinburgh Fringe has opened up after a third of her audience left her show '15 minutes early'.
Nicole Nadler, who is performing her show Exposure Therapy on George Street, said she is 'allowing herself to feel rejection' after a group of women got up and left. The unscripted show sees the audience share their fears with Nicole, before she 'tackles them with honesty and authenticity'.
On Wednesday night Nicole says four women told her she was a 'beautiful soul' as they left, having come into the venue late - and only staying for a 'total of 20 minutes'. She pleaded with Fringe audiences: "If you're seeing a show and you hate it it, could you just stick it out?"
Speaking to Edinburgh Live on Thursday morning, she told us: "My two biggest fears were that no one comes, obviously, but more than that - that I am unable to pull off this crazy idea of a show and that the rejection and failure that almost scared me from doing the show will happen.
"And it did. And it is gutting. But I handled it well in the moment and I am really proud of that and I'll be back on stage in a few hours ready to pour my heart out all over again!'
"I actually film all my shows, so I looked back and they stayed for exactly 20 min of a 50 min show - but they paid full price so I guess I won?"
After the show, Nicole comforted herself with fries and a chocolate milkshake from McDonald's - telling her followers 'the show must go on'. Nicole added: "I had four women come in late, they were maybe two thirds of my opening monologue in - maybe ten minutes.
"I rehashed the bit that they missed, to bring them up to speed. Other people came late again, I did the same thing.
"It was a quiet show, I had 12 people altogether. It was one of the smallest audiences I've ever had.
"We were not laughing, we were learning today - and that's okay. It's tough when your audience gives you nothing, but that's okay - it's totally fine. That's on me as a performer to hold the energy of the room."
Tearing up, Nicole goes on to say that the four women who came in late then slipped out before it ended. She continued: "I can see and hear everything that's going on, it's a small room.
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"All at once they kind of picked up their stuff, looked at each other and one of them said 'you're a beautiful soul but we have to go'. Then they walked out, of this tiny room - of a show that had very few people in it, where I am pouring my heart and being as vulnerable as I can be on stage.
"They couldn't give me the decency of the next 10 or 15 minutes. If you're seeing a show and you hate it, could you just stick it out? It would be a kindness."
Nicole's follower were quick to post comments of comfort after she opened up. A fellow Fringe performer, Cherry West, commented: "Surely they had to catch a train or something as you're incredible!"
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One said: "I know it's hard, but please don't take it personally."
Another added: "Speaking as someone who doesn't live in town, the last trains are often around 11-11.30pm so they have had to leave early for something!"
A description of Exposure Therapy is on the Fringe website, reading: "If Nicole Nadler could stop being afraid, she could do anything – and maybe so could you?
" In this unscripted show, you'll share your fears (anonymously), and she'll tackle them with honesty, authenticity, teenage diaries and a determination to conquer her fear of perception. After all, the only thing to fear is fear itself – apparently."
You can find out more about Nicole's show here.
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