The answer: Make Love, Not War. Getting perturbed with the audience's seeming “lack of response” will only make things worse, and you will end up fighting a losing battle. I experienced a well-known storyteller, once, who was doing a call-and-response within a story session. The audience included many storytellers, but for whatever reason, we were not, as a group, engaged in the process as much as the teller thought we should be. The teller chastised us for not participating more. That really endeared us all (note sarcasm here). I don’t remember anything else after that. I was there, but I was gone.

 

The first thing to remember is to stay calm. Don’t let the seeming lack of interest or connection send your spirit into a downward spiral. Breathe, take a step back. Slow down and take a moment. Focus all your energy; first, on how much you love the story you are telling, and then on loving the audience. Make eye contact with as many individuals as you can; not fleeting, but give each one their own moment. Let them know you are speaking directly to them because you care about them. Use your entire personality, body, voice and face to connect and show them how much you are engaged. Put your energy towards the story, not fighting the audience. Note: You may not get them back, but battling with them will surely put you in a losing position.

 

So, when you find yourself in that place that feels like a futuristic black hole and all the energy is being sucked out of the universe, return to the 60's, beaded hippies, tie-dyed T-shirts and flower power. Make love, not war. And remember the Beatles...All you need is love.