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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 21, 2016 14:46:54 GMT
That reminds of the scene from that Agatha Christie film Evil Under The Sun when Maggie Smiths character says to Diana Rigg's ex chorus girl done good character "I was so envious. Arlena could always get her legs higher than the rest of us...... and wider"
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Post by The Matthew on May 21, 2016 14:51:58 GMT
I think that clapping needs to be seen in the same way as puppy training. If your puppy pees on the sofa, you should not respond by giving it a highly sought after treat. So if an actress pees on the stage we should smack her on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper? Sounds reasonable.
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Post by d'James on May 21, 2016 16:08:55 GMT
That reminds of the scene from that Agatha Christie film Evil Under The Sun when Maggie Smiths character says to Diana Rigg's ex chorus girl done good character "I was so envious. Arlena could always get her legs higher than the rest of us...... and wider" I LOVE that film!!
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Post by Baemax on May 21, 2016 16:09:17 GMT
Let's just start clapping sarcastically. They'll learn to leave us alone if we all do it.
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Post by theatremiss on May 21, 2016 17:12:08 GMT
Applause for anything is earned, I've sat in theatres and been tutted at by other audience members for not joining in the applause when I've felt it hasn't Warranted it. I once got berated for not Irving a standing ovation at the end of Miss Saigon! Bloody cheek
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Post by theatremiss on May 21, 2016 17:22:35 GMT
Shoesforrent this is a prime example of why I don't like CHF, she has an air of self importance about her. She winds up her fans to a frenzy in their rabid support of her. She searches her untagged name on Twitter to cause an argument and I recall one evening when I was waiting away from Queens SD for someone I know in the show to come out and when her gaggle of tweenie weenie girl fans had dispersed she saw me standing there and made the assumption I was waiting for her autograph (which I declined). Some may say that was a nice gesture I call it a entitled
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Post by Flim Flam on May 21, 2016 17:52:15 GMT
Not everyone is so prescriptive about standing ovations.
Coriolanus. Tom Hiddleston. Donmar Warehouse. Me sitting in the stalls, front row centre, (thank you Barclays Front Row). During the final bows I was grinning and clapping enthusiastically, but did not join in the standing ovation that had started to surround my companion and I. Mainly because I would have had to extract myself from under my bag and coat etc (not much leg room in the front row) and also because I don't give a standing O for every Bond wannabe I see...
At this point Tom, smiling, looked down at me and gave me a cheeky grin, which I returned (well, not the cheeky bit, but you know what I mean).
Now, he might have simply been grateful to see that the audience was not entirely composed on manic, teenage stalkers, or he might have been trying to entice me to stand, by using the full force of his charm. Not sure which, but I managed to resist standing anyway, despite his best efforts.
Mind you, my friend has never been the same since. I really need to be more careful where I take her in future.
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Post by theatrenut on May 21, 2016 18:46:26 GMT
Interesting discussion following on from the recent incident at 'She Loves Me' where Laura Benanti calmly stopped singing her big solo number and waited for an audience member to switch off tenor ringing mobile.
Her tweet seems like a light-hearted response to something which was probably picked up on / joked about by her castmates at that particular performance. Unfortunately it can come across as entitled and doesn't acknowledge the experience of audience members. Maybe a person sitting in the front row with their arms crossed was dragged to the show by their other half under protest and they rowed about it? Maybe they have arthritis? Maybe (SHOCK! HORROR!) they didn't enjoy that particular song/show. That's their right IMHO. I would feel uncomfortable not making some gesture of appreciation in such circumstances, even if it was half-hearted. But this talk of how hard the people on the stage have worked... jeez!
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Post by kathryn on May 21, 2016 19:35:05 GMT
I'm sure Tom Hiddleston knows that regular theatre goers just don't leap to their feet at the curtain call, and it doesn't mean we didn't love the show and appreciate their hard work on stage, it's just you've got to hold something back for when your mind has been well and truly blown. The more often you go to the theatre the less often that happens.
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Post by shady23 on May 21, 2016 21:10:11 GMT
Carrie
Yet her pinned Tweet on Twitter is that she won't be coming out of the Stage Door much on Tour...
I really don't get why performers would want the audience to clap them because they feel they should out of politeness. If I was performing I would only want genuine applause!
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Post by d'James on May 21, 2016 23:17:19 GMT
Carrie Yet her pinned Tweet on Twitter is that she won't be coming out of the Stage Door much on Tour... I really don't get why performers would want the audience to clap them because they feel they should out of politeness. If I was performing I would only want genuine applause! She doesn't accept that. She's using the courtesy umbrella as a defence. Utter nonsense. Other people have latched on to it too, quoting the definition of courtesy at me. I know what it means and the definition is vague at best so of course you can use it to support the 'applause as courtesy' argument. However, on Planet Earth, most people realise applause is not a given and should certainly not be expected as some performers say 'it's polite.'
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 22, 2016 0:08:38 GMT
That reminds of the scene from that Agatha Christie film Evil Under The Sun when Maggie Smiths character says to Diana Rigg's ex chorus girl done good character "I was so envious. Arlena could always get her legs higher than the rest of us...... and wider" I LOVE that film!! Me too. Smith and Rigg bitching at eachother is a joy, and the "makeover" of one of the villains at the end. Fab. Nicholas Clay looking bloody gorgeous didn't do it any harm either.
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Post by d'James on May 22, 2016 0:11:23 GMT
Me too. Smith and Rigg bitching at eachother is a joy, and the "makeover" of one of the villains at the end. Fab. Nicholas Clay looking bloody gorgeous didn't do it any harm either. SWOON!! Him in those Speedos, wow! Maggie Smith's laugh after Diana Rigg's line 'It sounds like a black man's left leg,' never fails to make me laugh hysterically.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 22, 2016 0:12:22 GMT
I think anyone who ends every tweet/blog entry/post with kisses is to be treated with great suspicion. Passive aggressive or what.
Love you all
BB xxx
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 22, 2016 0:15:12 GMT
Me too. Smith and Rigg bitching at eachother is a joy, and the "makeover" of one of the villains at the end. Fab. Nicholas Clay looking bloody gorgeous didn't do it any harm either. SWOON!! Him in those Speedos, wow! Maggie Smith's laugh after Diana Rigg's line 'It sounds like a black man's left leg,' never fails to make me laugh hysterically. Roddy McDowall in a series of sailor suits. "Cherchez le fruit"
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Post by d'James on May 22, 2016 0:44:48 GMT
'You know how peculiar people can get about a spot of murder!'
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 7:11:19 GMT
I think that clapping needs to be seen in the same way as puppy training. If your puppy pees on the sofa, you should not respond by giving it a highly sought after treat. So if an actress pees on the stage we should smack her on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper? Sounds reasonable. Nooooo! Not the way to train a dog (you are free to swot the actor though).
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 8:32:26 GMT
If I go to a musical here in the UK I tend to clap after each song. It just seems to be what happens, but I'd never clap a particular scene in a play, as to me that would interrupt the flow of it. I also don't like the clapping a performer when they first arrive on stage. I think here clapping in musicals seems quite standard. Yes this is what I do and every one else in the theatre does. You clap after every song, that's what has happened at every show I've seen! It's fair enough Laura having a go, I would be aannoyed too. It's not exactly hard to clap. As as for standing ovations, we've never done it during a show. Only at the curtain call at the end if the show was amazing, there is a dance section where audience stands at the end of when the star of the stage come on for bows. The only time audience members have clapped when a star first enters the stage is for Imelda Staunton in Gypsy.
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Post by ShoesForRent on May 22, 2016 8:51:57 GMT
Yes this is what I do and every one else in the theatre does. You clap after every song, that's what has happened at every show I've seen! It's fair enough Laura having a go, I would be aannoyed too. It's not exactly hard to clap. Why would you be annoyed? You are working in the job of your dreams, something you love to do more than anything and brings great joy, while 99% of the people in the audience are chearing- why on earth would you get annoyed at the 1 or 2 people choosing not to cheer? Also no, not everyone cheers after every number- if Im utterly unimpressed with a performance (that looks phoned in for example) I wont clap... that shouldnt take anything away from the enjoyment of the actor, because I'd like to imagine they're doing it for the love of the art/being on stage, not the clapping... And if they are in it for the applause they really don't deserve to be up there. A million would trade with them in a heartbeat and be genuinely happy.
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Post by ShoesForRent on May 22, 2016 8:52:54 GMT
The quoting is messed up, I replied to george
ETA-thank you BB! Im on my phone and its all html
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 22, 2016 9:28:05 GMT
I corrected it
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 22, 2016 9:32:22 GMT
If I go to a musical here in the UK I tend to clap after each song. It just seems to be what happens, but I'd never clap a particular scene in a play, as to me that would interrupt the flow of it. I also don't like the clapping a performer when they first arrive on stage. I think here clapping in musicals seems quite standard. Yes this is what I do and every one else in the theatre does. You clap after every song, that's what has happened at every show I've seen! It's fair enough Laura having a go, I would be aannoyed too. It's not exactly hard to clap. It's not hard, but why should anyone if they either didn't really think it was that good, or just prefer to keep their applause for the end? They should be allowed to do that without being "applause-shamed" by the likes of Benanti, Hope-Fletcher or Margolyes.
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Post by clair on May 22, 2016 9:36:35 GMT
It's not hard to clap but it's not always deserved either. Also who knows why people don't clap, they might not consider it justified, might not have liked the performance or might even, like myself sometimes, be suffering horrendous arthritis in their wrist in which case it hurts to clap so you keep it back until the end of a show.
Just as I have no right to speak to a performer at the stage door after the show they have no right to assume applause for everything they do!
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Post by Hamilton Addict on May 22, 2016 10:16:34 GMT
If I go to a musical here in the UK I tend to clap after each song. It just seems to be what happens, but I'd never clap a particular scene in a play, as to me that would interrupt the flow of it. I also don't like the clapping a performer when they first arrive on stage. I think here clapping in musicals seems quite standard. Yes this is what I do and every one else in the theatre does. You clap after every song, that's what has happened at every show I've seen! It's fair enough Laura having a go, I would be aannoyed too. It's not exactly hard to clap. As as for standing ovations, we've never done it during a show. Only at the curtain call at the end if the show was amazing, there is a dance section where audience stands at the end of when the star of the stage come on for bows. The only time audience members have clapped when a star first enters the stage is for Imelda Staunton in Gypsy. You'd be annoyed if you had a 1000 people in a theatre clapping, a Tony nomination and rave reviews, yet you had just ONE person who didn't clap? Would it really mean that much to you if one person didn't enjoy your performance or had arthritis? No, it isn't hard to clap, but that's not the point. The point is, you can't force someone to. I've always clapped, even if I haven't liked a show, but I always feel really awkward doing so.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 10:45:55 GMT
Alright, alright. Just going to clear things up before I get slaughtered anymore about what I said. I wasn't talking about one person not clapping. My interpretation was around half the theatre not clapping. If your sing a really powerful song (e.g. Everything's coming up roses or And I'm telling you) and put your whole effort into it but then only half the theater claps... Your gonna feel just a tad disappointed aren't you? I always clap but I don't stand up at the curtain call if I didn't like the show (Bend it like Beckham). I'm not saying you have to clap, but it's nice if you did if it was a good performance
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 22, 2016 10:55:02 GMT
If your sing a really powerful song (e.g. Everything's coming up roses or And I'm telling you) and put your whole effort into it but then only half the theater claps... Your gonna feel just a tad disappointed aren't you? Not as disappointed as the punter who paid 70 quid to see you and didn't think you were worth it.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 11:00:19 GMT
If your sing a really powerful song (e.g. Everything's coming up roses or And I'm telling you) and put your whole effort into it but then only half the theater claps... Your gonna feel just a tad disappointed aren't you? Not as disappointed as the punter who paid 70 quid to see you and didn't think you were worth it. Okay, okay!! Yes I know what you mean and I agree if a performance is absolute rubbish then yes there isn't a point rewarding them with whoops and cheers but if the performance is great then there is.
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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on May 22, 2016 11:02:57 GMT
People confuse quality with taste, not clapping poor quality is fine but not clapping for a job well done, but which was not to your taste, is egotistical. Think of it like a meal at a restaurant, if it's badly cooked complain, if it's poorly served don't leave a tip, if you ordered something and you've realised you don't like it then it's your mistake so blame yourself, not the ones who cooked and served it perfectly. You bought the ticket, they did their job, you didn't like it, applaud them and make better choices in the future.
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Post by ShoesForRent on May 22, 2016 11:04:26 GMT
Alright, alright. Just going to clear things up before I get slaughtered anymore about what I said. I wasn't talking about one person not clapping. My interpretation was around half the theatre not clapping. If your sing a really powerful song (e.g. Everything's coming up roses or And I'm telling you) and put your whole effort into it but then only half the theater claps... Your gonna feel just a tad disappointed aren't you? I always clap but I don't stand up at the curtain call if I didn't like the show (Bend it like Beckham). I'm not saying you have to clap, but it's nice if you did if it was a good performance I think that if a performer really put their all in to it, and a significant amount of people didn't clap maybe it'd be a sign they need to reflect on what about the performance was off? Maybe consult the director- they give notes very often anyway... And if the actir stands behind his performance a 100% (and again does for the love of the theatre) then sure it sucks that the audience maybe didn't get what he was intending, but he should be able to brush it off easily... People don't just not clap because "they forgot it's theatre ettiquete" as Carrie so insists. They have a reason- culture (in south east asia it is not common to clap until the end and is considered distruptive) medical issue, prefrance etc, and they are all valid, and so expecting applause just seems like an entitled move... I get Laura was joking, it was just a poor joke in bad taste, and clearly not 100 humor, because she does -expect- applause (Carrie clearly wasn't even joking)
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Post by ShoesForRent on May 22, 2016 11:09:38 GMT
People confuse quality with taste, not clapping poor quality is fine but not clapping for a job well done, but which was not to your taste, is egotistical. Think of it like a meal at a restaurant, if it's badly cooked complain, if it's poorly served don't leave a tip, if you ordered something and you've realised you don't like it then it's your mistake so blame yourself, not the ones who cooked and served it perfectly. You bought the ticket, they did their job, you didn't like it, applaud them and make better choices in the future. I'd argue that the audience member doesnt really choose the perfomance/perfomer they're going to get... I agree that not clapping because you got an understudy in place of someone you wanted to see, and the understudy is fantastic and you choose not to clap simply because x star wasnt performing- would be off an uncalled for, also booing understudies is a thing that happens and its gross. But again, a performance can be good by one persons standards, and not by anothers, and thats fine- the people choosing not to clap over prefrence are so few if any- why focus on it? ETA their arguement, if I can borrow your analogy, was that even if the food is poorly cooked you should still compliment the chef (beyond the money you pay for the meal)
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