“ I've never been to see a play before,” she said.
After I reassured her that not only was that ok, it was
fairly normal, we talked a little about her desire to go and her fear of not
knowing what she is supposed to do as an audience member. She was not that
articulate about her fear, but that is basically what she was expressing; not
knowing how to watch a play, what to look for, or how to appropriately respond.
“It’s ok if you don't like it,” I told her.
That is a hard truth to swallow – even for a seasoned
theater-goer. But it is true. In a world where too many shows receive an automatic
standing ovation regardless of the quality of the production, it can be very
confusing to a novice theater-goer to see an audience respond with emphatic
support of a less than mediocre production. Imagine going to the theater for
the first time, feeling bored and confused by a poor performance, and then the
play is given a resounding endorsement by your fellow audience members. Wouldn't you be put off? Wouldn't you assume from the reaction of your peers that this
was a great performance and that it was your fault for not enjoying it?
Given that, would you ever want to go back?
How can we as theater-makers foster audience members who are
excited to be there? How do we grow great audiences full of discerning people
who have sought us out? The answer is it starts with you. Take a friend who has
never or rarely goes to see plays with you the next time you go to see a friend’s
show. They will feel special because they can say “I know someone in this play”
– it forms a deeper connection. Stick around after and talk to the friend; let
them thank you for coming. But then take the friend you brought to a place
where you can talk freely about what you just saw. Probe them – get to the meat
of the play. Or if the play was bad, share that – but in a way in which you
take responsibility for your opinion. Or if the play had no substance, acknowledge
that and move on to talking about the quality of the performances or the impressiveness
of the set.
In theater commentary there is often talk about the need to
train an audience how to take in a play. The problem with this statement is
that it puts all the blame on the audience. It implies that if the audience did
not respond in the way you wanted them too that they did not get it or they do
not know how to watch a play. This of course is untrue and while everyone is
entitled to their own opinions, a play’s accessibility is the result of the
work and choices of the theater-makers.
No amount of talk-backs or program notes will encourage
further participation by audiences. There has to be a personal invitation to
engage in the shared experience of a live performance. Show them why it is
important to you. Share why you find delight in ephemeral moments that happen
on the stage. A deeper appreciation of the theater is a wonderful gift to give
a friend.
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