When the Spotlight Feels Too Bright.
Now, I love the London stage and watch plays and musicals regularly.
There’s a moment just before the curtain rises, when the lights dim and a hush falls over the audience, that can send a chill down even the most seasoned performer’s spine. For many actors, that moment isn’t thrilling; it can be terrifying. Once, in Evita, I remember the great wetwetwet singer, Marti Pellow, succumb to it and forgot the lyrics; he hummed his way through it. In the front rows, you can even see hand tremors of some of the actors, even on long runs.
Stage fright, or performance anxiety, is something most people don’t discuss openly, especially in the world of theatre, where confidence is often mistaken for talent. However, the truth is that even the best actors can feel that rising wave of panic before a performance. This doesn’t mean they’re not good enough; it just means they’re human.
Stage fright is surprisingly common. Some of the most celebrated performers in the world, people who seem fearless on stage, have opened up about their own struggles with anxiety. It might manifest as shaky hands, a racing heart, a dry throat, or even a total mental blank just when you need to remember your lines.
For some, it’s merely opening night nerves. For others, it can become a long-term struggle that makes every show feel like climbing a mountain.
Stage fright isn’t a weakness; it’s your body’s natural reaction to pressure. When you stand in front of an expectant crowd, your brain detects potential risk, even if it’s just a play. It triggers your fight or flight response, flooding your system with adrenaline. Your body wrongly assumes you’re in danger.
That reaction is ancient, automatic, and incredibly frustrating when trying to do what you love. This is where I come in.
At Ideal Hypnotherapy, I assist actors, performers, speakers, and creatives who face blocks due to stage fright. Hypnotherapy eases that overreactive fear response, allowing you to retrain your mind and body to feel safe and in control, whether delivering a monologue or stepping into the spotlight for the first time in years.
Hypnosis is not about losing control; it’s about regaining it. Together, we gently work on the subconscious triggers behind your anxiety, building new and more empowering mental patterns and relaxation responses. Clients feel more relaxed, confident, and connected to their performance than ever before.
It’s perfectly okay to feel nervous before a performance. Nerves mean you care. However, it may be time to try a new approach if your fear prevents you from doing what you love.
Whether in amateur dramatics, professional theatre, or any point in between, you deserve to feel confident in your craft. Stage fright doesn’t have to be your silent scene partner any longer.
If you’re ready to take the stage calmly, clearly, and confidently, I’m here to help you get there—one breath, one step, one spotlight at a time.
