Theatre Australia

your portal for australian theatre

intervals

Thu, 19 Nov 2009, 04:33 pm
Gordon the Optom30 posts in thread
How long should the main interval be? 10 minutes? Or would 20 minutes start to spoil the flow of the show? How often do you find that you have had tea and a biscuit, done your ‘trip to the toilet’ and are now standing for a further 10 minutes, aimlessly awaiting the start of the second act?

At a show I saw recently, there were several necessary blackouts throughout the play; some were possibly 15 seconds, whilst others, according to the programme, were supposed to be two minutes when three or more minutes in total darkness was nearer the mark. At what stage should the auditorium lights be raised – possibly to half level – rather than having the audience sit in the dark? Or could this result in patrons wandering out of their seats and not returning in time for the curtains reopening?

Should low-level, appropriate music be played during all of the blackouts and intervals?

I agree Robert, but it's

Fri, 20 Nov 2009, 12:59 pm

I agree Robert, but it's not only in ameatre but also pro productions that it happens! I have winced thru Blue or brownouts especialy, where warm props &/or crew have struck a prop from PS to carry off to Op, then crossed the stage again & again to strike something from the oposite side. Each time passing props they could of struck on their way off stage the first time, in one only complete movement. Because they have not been afforded tech rehearsals to achieve scene changes or for other reasons employed by numbat directors & wombat commitees who have no idea about staging, when choosing productions.

Thread (30 posts)

← Back to Green Room Gossip