Saturday, August 19, 2017
Taking a Stand Against Standing Ovations
Theatre Development Fund – TDF: I can't remember the last time I went to a Broadway show that didn't receive a standing ovation -- even though, in my opinion, many didn't earn it. I get it -- for lots of people in the audience going to the theatre is a special (and expensive) occasion, so they're eager to jump up at the end to confirm they've just seen something truly exceptional. But here's the thing: You expect to see a certain level of talent on Broadway. So while I always applaud with varying degrees of enthusiasm, I rarely rise. I believe standing ovations should be reserved for superlative experiences, not just a job well done.
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3 comments:
I agree entirely with this article "standing ovations have become the participation ribbons of live performance," and that's not necessarily a bad thing at all but it takes something away from the truly deserving performances in theatre. When audience members stand at the end of EVERY performance it doesn't hold the same weight as when they only stand for those truly deserving. And I see this a lot with school performance's to every single high school and some colleges seem to give their students a big pat on the back at the end of every performance even for those not necessarily deserving it's just an interesting thought of how do we want to treat our performers. With the same level of admiration across the board or save something for those truly special moments.
This is a topic I find very interesting. I'm still fairly new to the world of theatre, and I can count the number of professional theatre pieces I've seen on my fingers (only with in the last few months has that exceeded one hand). Every professional show I've seen, I've stood up for, and like the Buchwald also observes, the most if not the entire audience was standing in ovation with me. For me personally, experiencing theatre is a very exciting and emotional experience, and for all the performances I've seen, my perspective and ideas about theatre and art has been changed, and have felt the need to express that with a standing ovation. My very good friend, however, will only stand for a show if she thinks it was really truly spectacular spectacular. Ultimately, I think I agree with Buchwald's point that yes, is does seem like a give away and the meaning of a standing ovation has kind of dissolved because of everyone does it, but if something truly moves you, you show your appreciation.
Also, read through the comment on the article page – it's very interesting.
I think this author's opinion on standing ovations is really interesting and she has some truth in her words. Standing ovations use to be a sign of extreme enthusiasm towards an extreme performance; however, I too have noticed the obligation people now feel to stand at the end of a show. As if clapping while sitting is disrespectful, and standing is now the normal, I feel there needs to be one more way to up both of those and show that you truly thought that was an amazing performance. The author towards the end of her article mentioned the act of standing ovations during a performance, and though I have never experienced that, I bet it is an incredible thing for the actor to feel when they have physical positive responses to their performance in the scene. I only hope those are not normalized too.
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