Thursday, February 25, 2016
Standing Ovations Should Be Reserved for Productions That Earn It
OnStage: What began as a casual thought about standing ovations these days, became, as I sat down to write, something of a tricky process, because standing ovations are a highly subjective response to theatrical stimuli; individual to the person on their feet. I watched a performance recently which, in my opinion, was very well done, although the script (again, in my opinion) did not lend itself to a standing ovation. Heartfelt, though seated applause, and quiet reflection on what's just been seen, perhaps. Yet all around me, people were getting to their feet to applaud in what seems these days to have become a meaningless, borderline trivial gesture. Something you're expected to do when a show is over.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
16 comments:
I've spent a great deal of time pondering this very fact, simply because I don't think i've been to a theatre performance in my entire life that someone in the audience didn't stand up at the end. Of course, a lot of this has to do with the fact that my entire cultural theatre knowledge almost directly correlates to seeing theatre almost exclusively in educational settings. Someone's mom is bound to stand up at the end of an educational theatre performance, right? At the same time, I do kind of feel as though as people have grown out of touch with theatre, culturally, they're bound to stand up at the end of any performance, as it's likely to be the only live theatre performance they see for a couple months, if not all year. It's just not that common for many people to consistently see live theatre, and thus people don't have any real criticisms of the art. How can you be critical of an art form if you're not constantly feeding yourself with it and opening yourself up to the many different varieties that it presents itself in?
This is so important! In a world, where we give fifth graders trophies for every time they score a goal in a soccer game, this problem is very real. I think that is has a lot to do with our society’s, and specifically my generation’s dependence on gratification. Often, not always, we are insecure in our work and want assurance that it was well received, even though it might not have been. It is the stage manager’s job to ensure the artistic integrity of the production is maintained after the director leaves, however at CMU, we often report if there was a standing, or partial ovation. In terms of the art that is being produced, it shouldn’t matter if the audience stands up or not. The article provides some interesting viewpoints on what the standing ovation can mean, however, what is should come down to for an audience member is that they can choose what they want to do at the end of show, whether it be leaving, standing, or clapping.
Standing ovations are something I think about a lot, since their meaning has changed so much recently. It has become more of a courtesy to give a standing ovation, rather than an expression of being truly moved or astounded by a piece. I completely understand the author when he discusses how he is accused of being a theatre snob because of his views. I always feel bad or "snobby" if I do not stand after a play when everyone else is, but it pains me to see how commonplace standing ovations have become. Honestly, if everyone in the theatre is standing up after a show that I was not super impressed by, I will still stand up simply to avoid being rude. However, I do believe a standing ovation should be special. Of course, different people are impressed by different things and moved by different pieces, so it is really hard to say "That show did not deserve a standing ovation." It is a personal decision to make for yourself based on how you specifically felt about the show, but sadly, it has come to the point where it is odd and rude to not give an ovation when everyone else is.
I didn't realize how much this needed to be said until I thought about the past few shows I went to and how I felt at the inevitable last bow when the phenomenon that the author described occurred. I completely agree that it has started to lose its meaning and has just become something you have to do to be polite. However, the point I stopped agreeing with the author was when he said that the only time a standing ovation is called for is when the performance caught you up in a manic energy either by the energy exuded by the performers or by the brilliance of the script and staging. I feel like the amount that you have been blown away by the performance varies from person to person depending on their personality-- as a fairly calm person, I can think of just a few times that I've been moved to exuberance after seeing a show but I can think of many, many more shows that deserved standing ovations. I feel like in a perfect world you should be able to applaud the show based on how you feel about it, since it's such an individual experience. However, obviously there's a clear social issue with that. While I recognize that the "degrading" of the value of a standing ovation is an issue, I think that since this comes from the highly personalized nature of theater there isn't any clear solution.
Standing Ovations are interesting. Yes, I think they have become something that is overdone, but it is sometimes awkward when you do not have a standing ovation in a show anymore. All Broadway shows usually get a standing ovation because it is Broadway and the audience knows that it is a high quality performance so they are supposed to stand up during curtain call. Most of the time Broadway shows deserve standing ovations because they really move their audience to get out of their seats and show their gratitude. I think high school shows and below really should not get standing ovations unless they are really amazing. That clearly will never be the case because those audiences are filled with parents and of course they are so proud of their kids on stage and they will stand up and applaud a lot no matter what. Standing ovations should be saved for the truly spectacular shows.
I really sympathize with the author on this topic. I understand people believe they are being extra courteous when they stand to applaud but sometimes it is just downright inappropriate in my opinion. My most recent experiences have been the extremes of the spectrum, both very genuine and deserved and the other totally autonomous and machined. For me, The Full Monty was a performance that I really enjoyed and appreciated the actors for their gall and bravery in doing a fun – but very self-conscious show. As it is quoted in the performance, “getting naked onstage in front of hundred of people ain’t easy”. On the other end, 4:48 Psychosis is a very emotionally draining show and requires a lot of attention and not necessarily a standing ovation, but alas when the show ended someone stood up in appreciation and despite not being in the mindset to stand and applaud, courtesy towards the actors and not wanting to be the odd one out caused me to stand as well.
This article reminded me of a conversation I had with my parents the last time I was New York to see a show. As we were leaving my dad mentioned that it felt like standing ovations had become far more common, almost as if it no longer had anything to do with the show and more to do with people wanting to be able to leave and go to the next thing they were planning to do today that much faster. Much like my dad and this author I think that standing ovations have become incredibly common, perhaps too common. I don’t think I share the authors opinion on how rare they should be, but at the same time, I can’t remember the last time I was at a show that didn’t get a standing ovation and there were definitely a few that shouldn’t have gotten one. A standing ovation shouldn’t just be something that happens because that’s what you do at the end of the show it should happen because there was something that was special about that show, be it the show itself or the performance of a particular member of the cast.
It's really funny. I was actually standing, applauding for the cast of The Full Monty when I thought to myself. Why am I standing? I looked around and certain people were standing while others clapped in their seats. I agree with what Sam said in that standing ovations are overdone now-a-days, but it does send off a weird message if you don't stand anymore. It is true what the article says. the reasons for standing are particular to the audience member. Maybe for one, they are standing because of how they were affected emotionally and they need to express their commendation. For someone else, they might just be following the norm of todays audience over-commending performances with a standing ovation to be nice to the company of the show. So many reasons for everyone. But I do agree that shows that earns a unanimous standing ovation, not one started by a family member, should be the main ones receiving that much cheer.
I really don’t understand why people feel the need to create qualifications for when you can and cannot do a standing ovation. Also, when an unspoken standard is created about how an audience member should or should not behave while clapping, this author is basically saying that people who are not “in the know” enough to know this standard shouldn’t go to shows, or at the very least are saying that they are not “real” theater people. For the number of comments, I see on this blog supporting expanding theater to reach new and diverse audiences, I am shocked by all the comments on this article in support of this author who is propagating the old, elitist attitude towards theater-going that I thought we are trying to combat.
Why can’t people just clap in whatever manner they feel moved to and not be judged for it? I remember when I went to go see 4.48 Psychosis, there was only one person who stood up at the end. While I didn’t personally feel the need to stand for the production, I didn’t think less of her for doing it and in fact thought it was brave that she was the only one standing and that she applauded the show in the way she wanted without worrying about how other people thought.
This is quite interesting. I'm a firm believer in standing your ground during standing ovations and only giving them when the performance has truly moved you. That being said, I also feel like it is different in an educational setting and when the people you're seeing on stage are your peers putting on a performance as part of curriculum. I'm definitely more inclined to give a standing ovation when I see dear friends on stage performing (and this is not saying that perhaps they did not deserve a standing ovation otherwise) because it comes from a place of joy and support. But speaking in terms of watching shows out in the "real world", I am quite selective about when I give standing ovations and when I don't. The most recent Broadway show that I saw was "American In Paris" and I did not give a standing ovation. Almost everyone else around me gave standing ovations, but gradually. Like this article said, I feel like the gradual standing ovation is almost always the hallmark of an insincere one. If you truly feel moved and touched by a piece of theater, you would shoot up on your own two feet instantaneously and applaud till your hands fell apart. I also feel like in my "American In Paris" incident I was being heavily judged by those who were standing up around me just because I decided not to give one. This is the stigma that I think is very strange today because many theater goers are now giving a standing ovation out of sheer courtesy and fear of being judged and not because they truly enjoyed the piece.
While I will say I do not think every show deserves a standing ovation, I disagree with this article on many levels. First of all working in theatre has made me much more likely to stand at the end of a show because I know the effort that went into most of them. And I admit there have been times I’ve clapped for effort instead of talent, but who does it hurt? This author believes the audience can tell when a standing ovation isn’t genuine, but the audience can also tell if the audience s sitting down. And personally I prefer the first over the latter. And it’s more complex than just a standing ovation, I’ve stood because of one actress before, one that has carried a terrible production, Because even if the performance didn’t touch me, her efforts did. And people are touched by many different thing’s and should be allowed to show it, whether or not this guy was also touched. I see the point of this article, if we give standing ovations to everything it will soon mean nothing. But a standing ovation doesn’t mean I buy a ticket for the next show, or that I recommend the company, things that really matter. It simply means I am acknowledging effort.
I can definitely remember watching shows and clapping at the end while watching people around me stand up, unsure if I should do the same. I do think a lot of people now give standing ovations if they thought the show was good - I rarely see any "leap to your feet" standing ovations that the author describes. Most of the standing ovations I see starts with one or two people standing up, then more and more people follow suit. This article definitely reminds me that standing ovation isn't a courtesy, and I don't have to stand up just because other people are, and vice versa. If every show gets a standing ovation, then standing ovation loses its meaning and is no different from normal applauses. Ultimately, to give a standing ovation or not should be a personal choice, not a result of "everyone else is standing up/no one else is standing up so I should do the same". It's interesting how the author mentions that the actors know whether the standing ovations are genuine or just out of politeness, and I wonder what's their stance on standing ovations.
Standing ovations have always been a tricky subject for me. It seems like it is one of those things were if one person stands to clap, everyone does. I agree with the statement in the article saying that ovations should be saved for exceptional performances, but everyone is going to have a different opinion of the show; as soon as one person is on their feet, it’s a guarantee that many more will follow. Having worked on several shows in high school, it was easy to get the standing ovations; half the crowd is proud parents and family and friends. Don’t get me wrong, standing ovations always made me feel like I had done a good job and that the hard work and long hours paid off. But in the end if I was working on a show and there was clearly one show that was better than the rest it would mean a lot more to get a stand ovation on that night than every night of the performance.
The line in this article that stood out the most to me was, "They'll know within seconds of getting out there whether the people getting to their feet have, in fact, been feeding off the energy of their performances for the last couple of hours." This, I think, is the most important thing to me when I think about the cheapening of standing ovations. You can tell when an audience is really engaged in what they're seeing, and when it is not the case, it is obvious they are standing as a courtesy. But I want to shout from the rooftops, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STAND TO SHOW THAT YOU LIKED IT. It is funny that I'm writing this, given that just last week I thought hateful things about one of my friends who came to Antony and Cleopatra with me and did not stand when everyone around him did (although I have some separate issues with him about his views on that show). But I think that just shows how genuine my standing ovation was for that show, because I was genuinely hurt over the fact that some people didn't stand, just because it broke my heart so badly it felt like the only thing I could do to show my gratitude for it was to stand. Not every standing ovation is like that, though, and it's best we don't fabricate them for the sake of the shows that deserve that extra something.
I tend to agree with this article. I rarely stand up for a production unless I think some aspect of the production was superb enough to move me to my feet. Of the twenty or so productions I’ve seen in the last year, I’ve maybe stood for three or four of them. Maybe it’s because I’ve been watching sloppy theatre, or because I was too engrossed in my own emotions at the end of the show to stand. After seeing ‘A View From the Bridge’ on Broadway I didn’t stand, but I was quite moved by the piece. I sat in my seat and clapped from the headspace I was in. Standing up would have taken me out of my contemplative space, I would have been less affected by the production. Yet I received glares from grey hairs, hobbling to stand around me. Their looks said ‘stand up you ungrateful youth, I’m standing and so should you.’ The choice of whether to stand and or not at the end of a production is a personal one, and no judgment should be passed either way.
I don't care, Skip, I still think this is snobby. I really dislike the theory of theater "etiquette" and these inherent rules ones is supposed to know before entering a theater. The justifications in this article are all made based on an intimate knowledge of a "theater person" - a person that not many people are! The ideas of what a performer is thinking at the end of bows can only be known BY a performer, not a random audience member who simply wanted to give that performer credit where credit is due.
The clapping at the end of a show shouldn't be about me. For me, it is not about me being "overwhelmed" by emotion or anything. It is about me thanking the performers and technicians and directors and everyone for entertaining me. Thank you for making me feel anything, thank you for doing your job! For the part about the actors "knowing" whether the audience is sincere or not, you should still thank them!! You should still give them the respects hey deserve, and if everyone around you is standing up and cheering, and you aren't, you just look like a jerk.
Post a Comment