Calling all StageSider’s, welcome back to another Wondering Wednesday here at StageSideUK. This time we are talking a bit about expectations and etiquette. We want to hear from you, this Wondering Wednesday, so do leave a comment in the comments section. I was at a show recently where I just felt a bit meh about it all. I still gave the cast an enthusiastic applause but there were members of the audience standing and whooping. It made me think. If I saw a show, and everyone else stood, would I?
My answer
I think the answer is no. I didn’t in that show and I haven’t for others. It’s not out of snobbery, but I feel like standing ovations are special.
When I was booking tickets for a well known popular musical, the ticket came with a warning that ‘people around you may stand’. I reached out to the theatre as I thought this meant they were standing seats, and for my mam who is scared of heights, this wasn’t going to happen. It was a bit shocking when I was told ‘at the end, people tend to stand when they see a musical’. I read this and thought… is this really being put on tickets. Yes I understand that it may trigger some people, cause access issues or it may even just make some people rethink going to the theatre because they can’t/dont want to stand. But are we really putting that subliminal expectation that people stand at the end?
I feel a bit like it is now expected that you will stand, and if not then oooh that’s drama. But to me a standing ovation is the mark of an outstanding piece of theatre or performance, there is a lot of meaning that comes from standing at the end. Maybe I am really old fashioned or petty but I feel like if we just all stand after every show, how will we know the good ones from the not so good ones?
Have your say!
If everyone else stood at the end of a performance, would you feel like you had to? Let me know in the comments section and lets get a discussion going!
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