What makes a signature act & do we really want one?

Hello folks! Now I am no longer using my facebook profile, I decided to create a blog for all the wibblings I would previously post on there. 

Lately I have been thinking about signature acts. I often see people declaring new acts as "signature" and this makes me wonder. I always thought of a signature act as one that becomes, rather than is declared as such. Something you create that really takes off in terms of popularity, that audience and peers come to associate with you more than any other act. As such, you could not necessarily predict which act that was going to be, right? It is often surprising which acts work better than other acts. But that is one way of thinking about it-does anyone else have a different idea of what a signature act is and how to get one?

A while back I was speaking with a lovely performer who, quite early on, created a brilliant act which, years later, persists in being the one she is known for and booked for, her best act. She expressed to me a worry that nothing she did was ever going to be as good or better than that act. I hadn't thought of it like that before.   And then I thought of a few other performers who have that "one act", the one they are known for and get booked for, the best one. It got me thinking:

- Is it better to have that one amazing act that takes you places, but never to match it again? Or is it better to have a consistent standard, but that might not take you to headline or to the top shows? Is a signature act a temporary blessing and a long term curse?

Of course, the ideal would for all your acts to be that top standard, and some people manage headline level each time, but even they have some acts that would be seen as more prominent than others.

Its not just burlesque either. What if you get an amazing, perfect job, that ends? What if you write one best seller or become a one-hit wonder? Do one out of this world film, like Elijah Wood? Or to use the Dr Who example- would you like to be his assistant for one insane and amazing year, but then spend the rest of your life sort of regretful that you were no longer with him, finding normal life a bit lacking,  like Sarah Jane or Rose did? 

We are all always trying to create bigger, better acts. And you cant really predict which one is going to take everyone by storm. So in some way this is all moot, if it happens, it happens. But if you get that one big act and you tour it until you have done all the shows you can do, where do you go from there? 

Or perhaps this is a negative turn of thought. Perhaps it is amazing if you get that one act, and if it can happen once, it can happen again! Basically I am wondering about this now because I dont think my ability as a performer will allow me to match the impact of the giant trampoline. The trampoline makes the trampoline act, not the Glorian on it! So now I have to think how I am going to up my game in my next acts, so they aren't a let down after the bouncing!

Here's to hoping for inspiration and luck to strike twice!