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What constitutes a good show?

Mon, 4 Dec 2006, 08:21 am
Gordon the Optom11 posts in thread
What constitutes a memorable show?
Should a play still be considered admirable and worth recommending, if the sets are first class, the lighting outstanding, the direction imaginative, the acting amazing – never been better - but the script boring, clichéd and pointless? On this occasion the audience may depart the theatre frustrated and thinking what a waste of time and talent.
Or is the piece which has very little scenery, a few lights, the acting is wooden with the odd fluffed word, direction is dull and laborious, but the play has a brilliantly inventive, beautifully written script, a better show?
Possibly the play is one which is technically average, has good - but not outstanding acting - yet on leaving the theatre you realise that you have engaged in some kind of emotional experience? Perhaps you have laughed, cried, aroused, been scared witless and still are thinking about passages in the play a day or two later. Is this the 5-star production?

I realise that in the ideal show, all of these ‘quality features’ should be present, but isn’t the audience enjoyment factor the most important point of any show?
We hear of Art Galleries which have spent $20,000 on a pile of bricks, or recently in the UK of the 50,000 pounds spent on a standard urinal as the latest art. Likewise I feel that the number of productions which are weird and fit into some strange genre is increasing. There is a massive GENERAL public out there, which some producers may consider plebs, who need to be taught to appreciate the latest real and innovative theatre art. Are the public right or should a select few discerning theatricals receive preference?
The Da Vinci code was a massive seller, very popular but hardly the best written book of the year, but it was a good satisfying yarn. So how should books and plays be rated? Does the audience enjoyment factor matter?

Actually, this reminds me

Tue, 5 Dec 2006, 09:03 pm
Actually, this reminds me of another thing... I - believe it or not - don't mind if the performers crack it occassionally. I don't mean that the performers completely lose focus; but let's face it, there's no such thing as a perfect show. The sign of a good actor - or crew for that matter - is how well they deal with what goes wrong onstage/backstage. This 'break' from focus, depending on how well it is dealt with, is my favourite part of a show and brings life into what could have been a stale performance. It's why improv is enjoyed so much; the so-called X factor comes into play. Outside of this event, yes, believability is highly important. The Prompt Copy Networking emerging theatre professionals www.thepromptcopy.com Sticky Apple Legs http://stickyapplelegs.artsblogs.com Puppets in Melbourne www.freewebs.com/puppetsinmelbourne

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