Not bowing after a performance?
Tue, 26 Aug 2008, 01:03 amLouisa Fitzhardinge27 posts in thread
Not bowing after a performance?
Tue, 26 Aug 2008, 01:03 amWould you consider leaving the traditional bows out of the end of a piece of theatre?
Have you seen or been involved in a production that has opted to end the show at curtain down?
I've just arrived home from the tech run of SIX (a UDS production; we open on Thursday) where we had a bit of a heated discussion over bows, and whether or not they are necessary/desirable for a play. I think, as an audience member, I'd feel a bit disgruntled if everyone was clapping for minutes on end and the bows just never came. It's expected. Especially in Perth, especially for community theatre, when half the audience is the actors' friends and family. And as an actor, it just seems a bit pretentious and ungrateful not to.
Audience: "You guys were great!"
Actor: "Whatever; shut up. Theatre is an expression of meaning, not an opportunity to bathe in kudos. You clearly don't understand."
Plus it gives an opportunity to thank the SM, lighting crew, sound crew etc...
So what do you reckon? Are curtain calls archaic, pointless and vain? Does it break the tone of the ending of a play if everyone comes on and bows afterwards? Or do they bring the play to a proper end and connect the actors with the audience?
(Of course I don't mean massive Broadway-style choreographed bows... just an ensemble cast taking one bow, applauding to the box and applauding to the wings).
I found this post rather
Sat, 30 Aug 2008, 02:19 pmI found this post rather interesting. Two years ago I was involved in performing Edward Albies zoo story. We were two young women playing the roles of the men Peter and Jerry. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this one Peter accidently stabs Jerry. It is a very emotive piece and we decided that by not taking a bow at the end it enhanced the effect of the very end. We ended it with Peter screaming "Oh My God" off stage and closed the curtain and went straight to intermission. It was strange as the audience were stunned by the play...we asked a few audience members whether it was an ok way to end the show, generally speaking they thought it enhanced the experience for them personally.
I personally had never thought about ending a show with out a bow but after that one I think it can be a very powerful way to close a show...particularly if its a drama.
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