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Monday, January 15, 2024
Don’t kick the seats and switch off your smartwatch: Guardian critics on how to be a better audience member
Culture | The Guardian: It might come from a place of generosity – sending out a reassuring signal to actors, making an effort to add to the atmosphere – but forced laughter is obvious, and en masse it has the ear-piercing sound of a road drill.
11 comments:
Julia Adilman
said...
This was an interesting article to read, especially having just had a poor experience at the theater due to poor audience members. I did in fact sit in front of a loud group of people who continued to kick my seat throughout the show. It was quite distracting and took away from my enjoyment of the performance. Because of this experience, I agree with a lot of the points made in the article, however, some of them I think are a bit unnecessary. I think that for some people listening to the audio guide and reading wall text can be quite helpful at an art museum. I agree that if you let yourself look at artwork on your own without any input, you can learn a lot more from the artwork and it can improve your ability to interpret art. However, for some, they need information and a guide to help them look at art, especially if they are beginners. I also think that some audio guides and wall texts are very helpful. Even as someone who is experienced at looking at art and interpreting on my own, reading more information on a piece can really open up your mind and possibly lead to even more interpretations.
While I think that it is important to be aware of oneself while consuming art, I honestly disagree with several of the points that this article raised. The sections I most disagree with are theater and museums. This article encouraged people not to clap after every number. While clapping by yourself can be undesirable and awkward, performances are often designed with musical cues and choreographic buttons to inspire audience applause. If anything it would be rude not to clap at those moments. The actors are trained to work around that applause, and there is a stage manager ready to adjust the show timing to accommodate. My biggest gripes were with the way the article encouraged people to view visual art. It seemed they were pushing a very elitist way of viewing art, rather than encouraging people to take the cues given to them by a museum. If a curator decides that it will be effective to have a wall text next to a piece, it is probably worth looking at. If the museum has decided that they think that audio guides will help viewers understand the experience, then take it. Finally, if an artist wants you to interact with their piece, then interact with it the way that was intended.
I think that if I read this a couple months ago I would have written about how much I agree with everything being said and how I do not understand that it is not common sense. However, last week I read an article discussing the idea that theater etiquette might be turning people away from theatre and I thought about that a lot while reading this. I think that some of the tips/rules in this should be pretty self explanatory. Like turning off your phone, or getting to your seat on time. But I think that maybe we should take a look at things like not applauding after songs. I think that if people enjoyed a song they should get to cheer. I also think that as someone who has performed before hearing the applause is something that can really keep going. I have never been annoyed with an audience for clapping. Infact one of my favorite theater memories is when I went and saw Hadestown on Broadway for the first time and when Andre De Shields entered the stage the audience went nuts and cheered for what felt like forever. It was such a blast to watch. I do not think we should be telling people how they should or should not respond to a piece of art. I think people should laugh loudly, and cheer when they want. I think it is the magic of theater. We just have to find the balance between being disrespectful and making people feel as if they cannot enjoy theater in the way they want.
I feel as though articles like these can be basic and repetitive so I was intrigued to see how this article would be phrased and presented. I like how this article was very easy to read as it gave a headline then a brief continuation and explanation of the headline. I also loved how they divided the article into different subtopics as there are different unspoken rules and appropriate ways of acting for different types of art. I particularly enjoyed how they included ballet performances as most people don't know that the plot is actually articulated in the program and it is not that difficult to understand what is going on onstage. I also found it interesting that the article said to reject the audioguides that museums provide. I enjoy having more background on the art when I go view it because I feel it enhances my own interpretation of the art but I can see how it could potentially get in the way for some people.
Ah yes the quintessential “here’s how to be a good theatergoer” article. I always find these articles interesting as they seem to walk the fine line between being theater critics being mildly to severely pretentious and recognizing legitimately annoying and disruptive things that folks do at the theater/in other relevant spaces we receive art. This one, like most articles like it, has a healthy mix of both perspectives. Some of them (kicking the seat, not drinking too much, turning off your phone and smart devices, etc, etc) are extremely valid things that have proven time and time again to be disruptive while others toe the line in my opinion. I will say this article is also extremely British (my favorite line being “We’re British. Don’t clap. Don’t cheer. We’re not American.” in reference to comedy show etiquette) - and etiquette standards are different in different locales and for different types of art, as this article recognizes in a succinct manner. Overall, I find this article to be a funny little glimpse into the world of British art etiquette and it may well be a decent primer (when taken with a pretty large pinch of salt) for those starting out at the theater.
Since the world has opened up post lockdown from what I have observed, audience behavior has gotten more inappropriate and disruptive. I get it we have all gotten used to watching movies, art and concerts from the comfort of our home but since we have returned to live performances audience behavior has started to not consider the others in the room. I feel this is especially prevalent during movies for a couple of reasons, the first being the accessibility and audience of films and the second being how many people watch movies at home. At least in my life when I am viewing a movie with friends at home we make live commentary and talk during the film. In the theaters I have observed people talking at full volume like there are no other audience members and they are in their house. I feel that everyone needs a quick crash course in movie educate before the next wave of releases.
There are many points in this article that I have qualms with and it's probably easier to just tackle them in order. 1. Using your phone as a light. I understand this frustration if you're using the flashlight, however, if you are using the light of the screen to see where you are going and safely get to your seat there shouldn't really be a problem. 2. Stop clapping so much. This comes off as extremely pretentious to me, unlike classical concerts where the standard is to not clap between movements, theatre is more open to that kind of audience interaction. Also, every show I've ever worked on, the director and actors actually prepared for audience members to clap after songs or specifically strong moments and rehearsed a small pause for such moments, so the argument of actors pausing is kind of moot, this is anecdotal though. Finally, 3. Skip the booze. Again this seems preachy, it's quite rare, in my experience, for someone to get incredibly drunk and start interferring with the enjoyement of others. Maybe a hypothetical person goes to the theatre to relax and watch something, and part of that relaxing is a glass of wine or beer, if they aren't bothering people, there isn't really a problem, and as a plus, it is quite a good revenue stream for theatres.
While I agree some of the points raised in this article, but I disagree with a lot of them. Many of the points I agree with I thought were a given in show watching ettiequte, such as not pressing your knees up against the seat in front of you, or not using your phone light to look for open seats if you turn up late. The rest of these just seem not very reasonable, as they are either unavoidable, or just don’t make sense. If someone enjoys the song, they might clap for longer, and as performers, we just have to wait till most of the clapping dies down before moving on to the next scene. I really didn’t like the part about the art galleries, because I think I’m being forced to do/not do these things, and I don’t like the rules, as they don’t make much sense to me. I used audiobooks a couple times in museums, and I found that it helped me understand the history of the art, and reading the wall text also helped me understand the circumstances in which the piece was created, and it allowed me to better appreciate the piece than if I didn’t.
I loved this article and it was so cool and interesting to read. I especially liked how they split the article up into different sections depending on the event, because that is very important and true. There is a completely different etiquette depending on the environment and performance that you are in. This article is really interesting to me for a couple different reasons. First is that I have always been someone who wants everyone to behave in the proper way wherever you are. And secondly, because last week I read an article about how theatre etiquette was too uptight and that we need to loosen it. And while after reading that article I did agree that we need to loosen it in order to get new patrons through the door, I think that there is a good middle ground that can be reached and I think this article represents that nicely.
Absolutely agree with the article's insights on cinema and theatre etiquette. I had some bad experience watching the shows too. I feel like respecting the opening credits as an integral part of a movie's ambiance is a must. It is a guarantee for both audience and performers to enjoy the show. From my own experiences in cinemas and theatre, I've developed some distinct views on audience behavior. The opening credits of a movie, for me, are sacred. They set the scene and immerse you in the film's world, it's always a bit jarring when people talk through them. And as an aisle seater, I understand the unspoken rule of gracefully making way for others, despite frequent interruptions. In theatre, authenticity in reactions like laughter is crucial. Forced laughter disrupts the genuine connection between audience and performers. Navigating through people standing motionless in the lobby, creating human barricades, is a frustrating obstacle course to one's seat. And ballet? Well, not reading the program beforehand once left me bewildered rather than entertained. Now, I always come prepared. The relaxed dress code at ballet performances is something I deeply appreciate for its welcoming, inclusive vibe. Following all these reasonable rules can be a wonderful solution to the avoidable problems.
I'm not entirely sure that I agree with the points about theater etiquette that were raised in this article. First, I'm not sure what the author qualifies as fake laughter, but I guarantee that whatever it's intention, both the people on stage and the people backstage appreciate it. And I honestly have never seen a show in which audiences were pity-laughing so hard that it was a problem. Audiences generally don’t laugh for no reason, unless you’re at your kid’s less-than-stellar third grade play. If that’s why the author wrote this article, maybe take a step back and rethink some things. Granted, there are times where I laugh louder at something then I would do when not in a performance venue. I wouldn't consider that fake. I feel like it's the same thing as laughing at a joke that a friend made that was a little funny but not a lot. Second, I find the complaints about clapping to be absolutely ridiculous. Everyone in theatre prepares for the claps. especially if you're working in musicals it is expected. When the actors freeze on stage, that is a planned thing. When they're standing there and listening to the applause and it's ongoing, they planned that out. They’re there on purpose. As a stage manager, I know full well that you have a pretty good sense of when the audience is going to clap and you're not upset by it. I can think of no time in my life where I have ever felt anything similar to the feeling of “oh God no they're clapping too much”. I would also like to add that as a rule of thumb, generally when the actors start moving, the audience will stop applauding. So really, it's not a problem in any capacity. I also can't say that I've ever seen so many smart watches in the theatrical space that it ruined my viewing experience, but maybe I'm just unobservant. I've also never really seen someone get hammered at a theatrical venue, but again, maybe it happens.
11 comments:
This was an interesting article to read, especially having just had a poor experience at the theater due to poor audience members. I did in fact sit in front of a loud group of people who continued to kick my seat throughout the show. It was quite distracting and took away from my enjoyment of the performance. Because of this experience, I agree with a lot of the points made in the article, however, some of them I think are a bit unnecessary. I think that for some people listening to the audio guide and reading wall text can be quite helpful at an art museum. I agree that if you let yourself look at artwork on your own without any input, you can learn a lot more from the artwork and it can improve your ability to interpret art. However, for some, they need information and a guide to help them look at art, especially if they are beginners. I also think that some audio guides and wall texts are very helpful. Even as someone who is experienced at looking at art and interpreting on my own, reading more information on a piece can really open up your mind and possibly lead to even more interpretations.
While I think that it is important to be aware of oneself while consuming art, I honestly disagree with several of the points that this article raised. The sections I most disagree with are theater and museums. This article encouraged people not to clap after every number. While clapping by yourself can be undesirable and awkward, performances are often designed with musical cues and choreographic buttons to inspire audience applause. If anything it would be rude not to clap at those moments. The actors are trained to work around that applause, and there is a stage manager ready to adjust the show timing to accommodate.
My biggest gripes were with the way the article encouraged people to view visual art. It seemed they were pushing a very elitist way of viewing art, rather than encouraging people to take the cues given to them by a museum. If a curator decides that it will be effective to have a wall text next to a piece, it is probably worth looking at. If the museum has decided that they think that audio guides will help viewers understand the experience, then take it. Finally, if an artist wants you to interact with their piece, then interact with it the way that was intended.
I think that if I read this a couple months ago I would have written about how much I agree with everything being said and how I do not understand that it is not common sense. However, last week I read an article discussing the idea that theater etiquette might be turning people away from theatre and I thought about that a lot while reading this. I think that some of the tips/rules in this should be pretty self explanatory. Like turning off your phone, or getting to your seat on time. But I think that maybe we should take a look at things like not applauding after songs. I think that if people enjoyed a song they should get to cheer. I also think that as someone who has performed before hearing the applause is something that can really keep going. I have never been annoyed with an audience for clapping. Infact one of my favorite theater memories is when I went and saw Hadestown on Broadway for the first time and when Andre De Shields entered the stage the audience went nuts and cheered for what felt like forever. It was such a blast to watch. I do not think we should be telling people how they should or should not respond to a piece of art. I think people should laugh loudly, and cheer when they want. I think it is the magic of theater. We just have to find the balance between being disrespectful and making people feel as if they cannot enjoy theater in the way they want.
I feel as though articles like these can be basic and repetitive so I was intrigued to see how this article would be phrased and presented. I like how this article was very easy to read as it gave a headline then a brief continuation and explanation of the headline. I also loved how they divided the article into different subtopics as there are different unspoken rules and appropriate ways of acting for different types of art. I particularly enjoyed how they included ballet performances as most people don't know that the plot is actually articulated in the program and it is not that difficult to understand what is going on onstage. I also found it interesting that the article said to reject the audioguides that museums provide. I enjoy having more background on the art when I go view it because I feel it enhances my own interpretation of the art but I can see how it could potentially get in the way for some people.
Ah yes the quintessential “here’s how to be a good theatergoer” article. I always find these articles interesting as they seem to walk the fine line between being theater critics being mildly to severely pretentious and recognizing legitimately annoying and disruptive things that folks do at the theater/in other relevant spaces we receive art. This one, like most articles like it, has a healthy mix of both perspectives. Some of them (kicking the seat, not drinking too much, turning off your phone and smart devices, etc, etc) are extremely valid things that have proven time and time again to be disruptive while others toe the line in my opinion. I will say this article is also extremely British (my favorite line being “We’re British. Don’t clap. Don’t cheer. We’re not American.” in reference to comedy show etiquette) - and etiquette standards are different in different locales and for different types of art, as this article recognizes in a succinct manner. Overall, I find this article to be a funny little glimpse into the world of British art etiquette and it may well be a decent primer (when taken with a pretty large pinch of salt) for those starting out at the theater.
Since the world has opened up post lockdown from what I have observed, audience behavior has gotten more inappropriate and disruptive. I get it we have all gotten used to watching movies, art and concerts from the comfort of our home but since we have returned to live performances audience behavior has started to not consider the others in the room. I feel this is especially prevalent during movies for a couple of reasons, the first being the accessibility and audience of films and the second being how many people watch movies at home. At least in my life when I am viewing a movie with friends at home we make live commentary and talk during the film. In the theaters I have observed people talking at full volume like there are no other audience members and they are in their house. I feel that everyone needs a quick crash course in movie educate before the next wave of releases.
There are many points in this article that I have qualms with and it's probably easier to just tackle them in order. 1. Using your phone as a light. I understand this frustration if you're using the flashlight, however, if you are using the light of the screen to see where you are going and safely get to your seat there shouldn't really be a problem. 2. Stop clapping so much. This comes off as extremely pretentious to me, unlike classical concerts where the standard is to not clap between movements, theatre is more open to that kind of audience interaction. Also, every show I've ever worked on, the director and actors actually prepared for audience members to clap after songs or specifically strong moments and rehearsed a small pause for such moments, so the argument of actors pausing is kind of moot, this is anecdotal though. Finally, 3. Skip the booze. Again this seems preachy, it's quite rare, in my experience, for someone to get incredibly drunk and start interferring with the enjoyement of others. Maybe a hypothetical person goes to the theatre to relax and watch something, and part of that relaxing is a glass of wine or beer, if they aren't bothering people, there isn't really a problem, and as a plus, it is quite a good revenue stream for theatres.
While I agree some of the points raised in this article, but I disagree with a lot of them. Many of the points I agree with I thought were a given in show watching ettiequte, such as not pressing your knees up against the seat in front of you, or not using your phone light to look for open seats if you turn up late. The rest of these just seem not very reasonable, as they are either unavoidable, or just don’t make sense. If someone enjoys the song, they might clap for longer, and as performers, we just have to wait till most of the clapping dies down before moving on to the next scene. I really didn’t like the part about the art galleries, because I think I’m being forced to do/not do these things, and I don’t like the rules, as they don’t make much sense to me. I used audiobooks a couple times in museums, and I found that it helped me understand the history of the art, and reading the wall text also helped me understand the circumstances in which the piece was created, and it allowed me to better appreciate the piece than if I didn’t.
I loved this article and it was so cool and interesting to read. I especially liked how they split the article up into different sections depending on the event, because that is very important and true. There is a completely different etiquette depending on the environment and performance that you are in. This article is really interesting to me for a couple different reasons. First is that I have always been someone who wants everyone to behave in the proper way wherever you are. And secondly, because last week I read an article about how theatre etiquette was too uptight and that we need to loosen it. And while after reading that article I did agree that we need to loosen it in order to get new patrons through the door, I think that there is a good middle ground that can be reached and I think this article represents that nicely.
Absolutely agree with the article's insights on cinema and theatre etiquette. I had some bad experience watching the shows too. I feel like respecting the opening credits as an integral part of a movie's ambiance is a must. It is a guarantee for both audience and performers to enjoy the show. From my own experiences in cinemas and theatre, I've developed some distinct views on audience behavior. The opening credits of a movie, for me, are sacred. They set the scene and immerse you in the film's world, it's always a bit jarring when people talk through them. And as an aisle seater, I understand the unspoken rule of gracefully making way for others, despite frequent interruptions. In theatre, authenticity in reactions like laughter is crucial. Forced laughter disrupts the genuine connection between audience and performers. Navigating through people standing motionless in the lobby, creating human barricades, is a frustrating obstacle course to one's seat. And ballet? Well, not reading the program beforehand once left me bewildered rather than entertained. Now, I always come prepared. The relaxed dress code at ballet performances is something I deeply appreciate for its welcoming, inclusive vibe. Following all these reasonable rules can be a wonderful solution to the avoidable problems.
I'm not entirely sure that I agree with the points about theater etiquette that were raised in this article. First, I'm not sure what the author qualifies as fake laughter, but I guarantee that whatever it's intention, both the people on stage and the people backstage appreciate it. And I honestly have never seen a show in which audiences were pity-laughing so hard that it was a problem. Audiences generally don’t laugh for no reason, unless you’re at your kid’s less-than-stellar third grade play. If that’s why the author wrote this article, maybe take a step back and rethink some things. Granted, there are times where I laugh louder at something then I would do when not in a performance venue. I wouldn't consider that fake. I feel like it's the same thing as laughing at a joke that a friend made that was a little funny but not a lot.
Second, I find the complaints about clapping to be absolutely ridiculous. Everyone in theatre prepares for the claps. especially if you're working in musicals it is expected. When the actors freeze on stage, that is a planned thing. When they're standing there and listening to the applause and it's ongoing, they planned that out. They’re there on purpose. As a stage manager, I know full well that you have a pretty good sense of when the audience is going to clap and you're not upset by it. I can think of no time in my life where I have ever felt anything similar to the feeling of “oh God no they're clapping too much”. I would also like to add that as a rule of thumb, generally when the actors start moving, the audience will stop applauding. So really, it's not a problem in any capacity. I also can't say that I've ever seen so many smart watches in the theatrical space that it ruined my viewing experience, but maybe I'm just unobservant. I've also never really seen someone get hammered at a theatrical venue, but again, maybe it happens.
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