SM: "SL & SR" or "P & OP"
Thu, 22 Nov 2001, 07:34 amWalter Plinge7 posts in thread
SM: "SL & SR" or "P & OP"
Thu, 22 Nov 2001, 07:34 amThats a confusing subject for you.
Recently, I was calling cues for a small panto show, and, as is my understanding of stage geography, the right hand side of the stage (from audience POV) is called "Stage Left", while the left had side of the stage (from audience POV) is called "Stage Right".
As an SM, and an ASM for many years, all shows I have worked on have used this standard. However, on this particular show, I was told by the lighting op (who knows his stuff), that "Stage Left and Stage Right" were the English standard.
He argued that the true Australian standard is "Prompt" and "opposite Prompt (OP)" for SL and SR respectively.
?
Does anyone know the proper standard for this? I have heard of P and OP before, but was not aware they were even used here at all!
Are they just for lighting cues? Are they for all SM cues? Are they for direction and blocking?
ta,
Alan D .Thompson
Recently, I was calling cues for a small panto show, and, as is my understanding of stage geography, the right hand side of the stage (from audience POV) is called "Stage Left", while the left had side of the stage (from audience POV) is called "Stage Right".
As an SM, and an ASM for many years, all shows I have worked on have used this standard. However, on this particular show, I was told by the lighting op (who knows his stuff), that "Stage Left and Stage Right" were the English standard.
He argued that the true Australian standard is "Prompt" and "opposite Prompt (OP)" for SL and SR respectively.
?
Does anyone know the proper standard for this? I have heard of P and OP before, but was not aware they were even used here at all!
Are they just for lighting cues? Are they for all SM cues? Are they for direction and blocking?
ta,
Alan D .Thompson
RE: SLiP, SLaP, SLOP
Thu, 22 Nov 2001, 11:55 amAmanda Chesterton wrote:
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>>"I have a feeling stage right and left are more actor's terms and PS and OP are techie's terms. I have rarely heard a director use PS and OP in a rehearsal room. Similarly, I have rarely heard a techie use SR and SL. Is this correct?"
Sounds like a reasonable theory to me.
Stage Left and Right are definitely actor's terms, because they are from the actor's point of view looking out toward the audience. Directors naturally have to use this language in rehearsal when they're speaking to actors.
In production meetings with their tech crew, you'll sometimes hear directors switch to tech-talk and use "Prompt" or "OP". (Multi-lingual, those directors.)
My theory is that because the tech crew is likely to be looking from either side of the curtain (ie crew backstage could be talking on cans to crew in the biobox out front) the left/right perspective is not the same for both parties talking, so for accuracy they prefer to talk in terms of physical locations.
In some obscure theatrical tradition, the Stage Manager would always be set up on one particular side of the stage. That meant the other side of the stage was the "Prompt Corner" where someone could sit on the book and prompt the actors. So PS was for that 'Prompt Side' and OP meant 'Opposite Prompt'.
I say obscure, because I'm actually not entirely sure which side is which...(I think SR=OP, SL=PS..?) Although His Maj and the Playhouse have the SM's console on SR, I've been in theatres where it's the other way around, and anyway, who the hell uses a prompt? (Or if anyone does have to prompt, often it's the stage manager on the book...and THEN what side are they sitting on?)
Anyway, regardless of its now-redundant origin, it seems to be a well established and useful code for the crew. I don't think it's particularly "Australian Standard"...I would've thought that we've taken BOTH of these codes from the English theatre tradition.
Cheers
Craig
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-------------------------------
>>"I have a feeling stage right and left are more actor's terms and PS and OP are techie's terms. I have rarely heard a director use PS and OP in a rehearsal room. Similarly, I have rarely heard a techie use SR and SL. Is this correct?"
Sounds like a reasonable theory to me.
Stage Left and Right are definitely actor's terms, because they are from the actor's point of view looking out toward the audience. Directors naturally have to use this language in rehearsal when they're speaking to actors.
In production meetings with their tech crew, you'll sometimes hear directors switch to tech-talk and use "Prompt" or "OP". (Multi-lingual, those directors.)
My theory is that because the tech crew is likely to be looking from either side of the curtain (ie crew backstage could be talking on cans to crew in the biobox out front) the left/right perspective is not the same for both parties talking, so for accuracy they prefer to talk in terms of physical locations.
In some obscure theatrical tradition, the Stage Manager would always be set up on one particular side of the stage. That meant the other side of the stage was the "Prompt Corner" where someone could sit on the book and prompt the actors. So PS was for that 'Prompt Side' and OP meant 'Opposite Prompt'.
I say obscure, because I'm actually not entirely sure which side is which...(I think SR=OP, SL=PS..?) Although His Maj and the Playhouse have the SM's console on SR, I've been in theatres where it's the other way around, and anyway, who the hell uses a prompt? (Or if anyone does have to prompt, often it's the stage manager on the book...and THEN what side are they sitting on?)
Anyway, regardless of its now-redundant origin, it seems to be a well established and useful code for the crew. I don't think it's particularly "Australian Standard"...I would've thought that we've taken BOTH of these codes from the English theatre tradition.
Cheers
Craig
------/====/-<8> ~<8>-/====/-----------
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