Matinee Sessions

Sat, 18 Aug 2012, 07:20 pm

Johnny Grim9 posts in thread

Seeking thoughts on the setting of times for traditional Sunday matinee sessions. It seems 2PM is a common start time for matinee sessions, however, I'm considering trialling a 5PM timeslot for our October production. My view is that theatre should be considered a 'night on the town' and 2PM hardly fits that bill..5PM would in effect, achieve the objective, whilst serving the early home, early to bed requirement of some patrons. Note: It's fair to say the above depends on the production, Agatha Christie may well suit the 2PM timeslot...I'll be interested to hear people's thoughts on this...if you were the patron would you select an afternoon on the town, or an evening? cheers Johnny Grim

Thread (9 posts)

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Johnny GrimSat, 18 Aug 2012, 07:20 pm

LabrugSat, 18 Aug 2012, 07:34 pm

Matinees

I have always understood (possibly mistakenly) that Matinees were Family Day Out events that enabled Younger audience members to attend. 5pm is too close to traditional Family Dinner Time. I guess 5pm may be considered the Adult Matinee?

Absit invidia (and DFT :nono:)

Jeff Watkins

Bass GuySun, 19 Aug 2012, 07:49 am

Definition.

mat·i·nee or mat·i·née (mtn-) n. An entertainment, such as a dramatic performance or movie, presented in the daytime, usually in the afternoon. [French matinée, from matin, morning, from Old French matines, matins.] Earlier the better I guess, but don't ask me- I disapprove of matinees.... El

HarbourSun, 19 Aug 2012, 09:08 am

Depends on target audience

I think most people associate a matinee with day time rather than early evening, but it also depends on who your target audience is. When Harbour first started offering matinee's (at 2pm) a few years ago, they were poorly attended initially. Now they are very popular with some of our elderly (& not so elderly) patrons who like to get back home before dark. Our 2 most popular sessions lately have been Sunday matinee & Wednesday evenings. In my opinion, matinee's would suit the elderly & families with young children. If neither are your target group, then I would stick with evening performances. Now whether the evening performance starts at 5pm, 7pm, or 8pm, that is another question... Ciao Rob

LogosSun, 19 Aug 2012, 09:49 am

Different State so maybe....

different results. We stopped doing any matinees ages ago but are now going to have a go again with our next production as it is sort ofslanted at older audiences. We are going to try 2.00pm on a Sunday. I always looked upon 5.00pm shows as twilight. A local group did twilight shows at 6.00pm during the week with some success. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au www.moorebooks.net.au

PHILLIP MACKENZIESun, 19 Aug 2012, 12:37 pm

MATINEE SESSIONS

As any lapsed churchgoer would know, Matins was the first Office of the day, preceding Mass. The Anglicans ('A' is for Anglican Brimful of gas; 'B' is for Breakfast He eats before Mass…') moved it to 11am, â€“ or you might prefer a cup of morning tea? Theatrically, 'Matinee' has come to refer to any performance in daylight hours and I am all in favour of at least one in every season, to cater for families with children (if it's a suitable show) or my fellow pensioners, who (gentle ladies in particular) tend to avoid going about after lights out. So go for it, Johnny. Incidentally, an apostrophe is redundant unless 'Matinees' occurs in a possessive sense. FLIPMAC

Gordon the OptomSun, 19 Aug 2012, 02:08 pm

5 is better

Many families visit older realtives on a Sunday afternoon, or go out for the day, returning in the early evening.

I would much prefer a 5 pm matinee.

NormaSun, 19 Aug 2012, 03:44 pm

Matinees.

Just goes to show you can't please them all! We started Matinees a few years ago, to much scorn from some circles! They did take a little while to catch on- as Rob has said, but now we find them very well patronised and not only by the "older ages".

We did a 5 pm show for one season this year, several patrons who came said they'd have preferred a 2 pm one!!

Playlovers do a late afternoon/early evening show for all their seasons, those I've bben to seem pretty well attended too.

Johnny GrimSun, 19 Aug 2012, 04:50 pm

Twilight zone

Thanks for all the feedback people..I like the idea of calling a 5PM start a twilight show rather than a matinee...

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