CURTAIN UP
Wed, 18 Apr 2007, 04:08 pmGordon the Optom7 posts in thread
CURTAIN UP
Wed, 18 Apr 2007, 04:08 pmWhat time is acceptable for a show with a stated time of 8.00 pm to start? If late, what are acceptable reasons?
Buses, trains, cinemas all start on time, however I have found that the greater majority of theatre productions - at all levels - in Australia start between 5 to 15 minutes late, for no apparent reason. The audience have learnt to turn up late, 'they'll wait for us!'
I blame cinema. Audiencesi
Sat, 21 Apr 2007, 05:57 pmI blame cinema. Audiences are use to movies starting 15 to 20 minutes after the time listed thanks to the absurd amount of ads. For some reason, they think that live theatre will also start 15 - 20 minutes late and thanks to this mentality we often do. You can't turn audience away, not in community theatre, but you don't want them traipsing in late and putting the actors off (in my younger and less controlled days I was known to glare at late comers as they entered. I wasn't even aware of the fact I was doing it!)
I have been involved in shows that have gone up late due to some error like a cast member forgetting their costume, or the lights dying 5 minutes before curtain up. Still, the show must go on, even if it is late. The best one was the final performance of Sourcery when a fire caused a black out at the Don Russell and we had to go on a week late :)
I've just had a great idea . . . advertising before the show in live theatre . . . I think it could have a future!
Melissa Merchant