Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Stuff To Ponder: Bring Back The Claques
Butts In the Seats: A few months back, Gizmodo posted a video by VSauce on the subject of clapping as a form of expression.
At about the five minute point in the VSauce video, they talk about how in the early 19th century people hired themselves out as professional “claques.” They would learn operas and then applaud and laugh at the correct places as a way to prompt the rest of the audience. Today, television shows have signs that prompt people when to respond.
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3 comments:
This is a really interesting article. I didn't know that fact about Claques, and I can see how people in the 19th century would see a need for these people. I find the point about audiences not knowing when to applaud during a symphony very accurate. A lot of people don't know enough about that culture to know that it is poor etiquette to applaud between movements, and that applause should be held until the end of a piece. Just like anything else in the world, the only way for people to know and understand this is for them to be taught. I was taught the appropriate moments to applaud during a piece of music when I was very young participating in school bands.
I think a good compromise could be reached regarding implementing claques into our society. Students are often offered discounted tickets to things like symphonies, operas, and theatrical pieces. If there were to be a walk-through of the show before half hour, or some kind of document distributed when students bought these tickets, they could act as a claque for the audience. Perhaps offered a high discount to be a claque, or offering free tickets to students in return for being claques would make a big difference. This would also teach the rising generations about when it is appropriate to applaud during specific pieces, in essence training your future audiences. An interesting concept to say the least.
I think this article poses a unique idea. Enthusiasm is contagious, and I think planting claques is a great idea--because a responsive audience can really vitalize performers and give show a different energy. And therefore, I agree with Jess that it poses the opportunity for a productive relationship: Discounted opportunities for students and young audience members as well as "trained claques" among the crowd. The one bone that I would have to pick with this idea is that I think laughter is too instinctual & reflexive, that while it may be possible to train someone to laugh at the right time, I think it would be harder to train someone to restrain an inappropriate reaction at the wrong time.
While the prospect of giving enthusiastic yet poor artists and students comp tickets in order to help the audience perform their part appropriately during a show could be good for the actors and the "claques" (as they would learn from a show they would otherwise be unable to attend), it does not seem to be a plan that should be encouraged. The social pressures of laughing or clapping at the wrong time make audiences feel uncomfortable and pull them out of the world of the play, making their experience much less enjoyable. If the audience is responding inappropriately to parts of the play, that is the fault of the creative team and the actors. Obviously something isn't being done the way it should be or the audience would not react in a way that is deemed inappropriate by tradition. Shows are meant to benefit the audience - let them have the freedom to enjoy, respectfully, as they desire.
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