2 Background and Expectations of the Audience T

2 Background and Expectations of the Audience © T Charles Erickson Copyright © Mc. Graw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of Mc. Graw-Hill Education.

2 -2 The Audience • Audience members not only bring their presence to theatre; they also bring with them personal knowledge and expectations. • All of these factors shape the experience of each Individual audience member as well as the group as a whole. © Michal Daniel © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Background of Individual Spectators • Individual memories and experience – Childhood memories – Emotional scars – Private fantasies • Plays set in the present – Audience brings a deep awareness of that world – Audience has a background of common information and beliefs • Plays set in other times and places – Audience can relate to characters and emotions © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 -3

2 -4 Background of the Period • When seeing a play from or about a different period, we must be familiar with the history, culture, psychology, and philosophy of that period. © Carol Rosegg © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2 -5 Background of the Period • Theatre and society are closely connected; art is a mirror of its age. – You can’t understand one without the other. – Each time period has its own conventions: • Greek theatre and culture • Elizabethan theatre and culture • Modern theatre and culture © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2 -6 Greek Theatre and Culture • There was a limited number of scenes in a play. – Usually five scenes interspersed with choral sections • The drama took place in one locale and within a short span of time. © Adam Crowley/Getty Images – Usually in front of a palace • Murders, suicides, and other acts of violence occurred offstage. © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2 -7 Elizabethan Theatre and Culture • A play could move to a number of locations and cover a period of many years. • Plays were expansive in terms of the number characters and action. • There was no hesitancy whatsoever about showing murder and bloodshed. © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2 -8 Modern Theatre and Culture • Today’s theatre reflects: – Developments in communications – Changes in society – Human-made and natural disasters • A theatre of fragmentation • A theatre of eclecticism • A global theatre © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Sara Krulwich/The New York Times/Redux

Background Information on the Play or Playwright 2 -9 • Knowing the period in which the play was written is not enough to have a complete theatre experience. – One must understand the play itself; some plays (like Shakespeare’s) contain obscure references. – One must understand the playwright and his or her techniques. © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. © Manuel Harlan/Royal Shakespeare Company

2 -10 Audience Expectations • Not all theatre experiences are alike. • Different types of theatres and theatrical events carry with them different sets of expectations. © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2 -11 Audience Expectations • Diversity in the U. S. is reflected in theatre: – Broadway and touring theatre – Resident professional theatre – Alternative theatre: off. Broadway and elsewhere – Young people’s and children’s theatre – College and university theatre – Community and amateur theatre © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. © Sara Krulwich/NYTimes/Redux

2 -12 What Is a Critic? • Someone who observes theatre and then analyzes and comments on it • A knowledgeable and highly sensitive audience member • Presumably better informed about theatre than the average spectator • However, most audience members act as amateur critics © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2 -13 What is Criticism? • Criticism is the understanding and appraising of a theatrical event. – Although, sometimes theatre critics cannot help but enjoy “finding fault” “With the single exception of Homer, there is no eminent writer. . . whom I can despise so entirely as I despise Shakespeare. . . ” George Bernard Shaw © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2 -14 Preparation for Criticism • Ideally, a critic should have a thorough knowledge of and background in theatre. • An ideal theatre critic should possess: – Knowledge of theatre history – Knowledge of acting, directing, and design – Familiarity with different plays and different styles as well as playwrights – The ability to relate theatrical events to society © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2 -15 Critical Criteria • Every critic should develop criteria (often in the form of a set of questions) by which to judge a play and production. • Examples of critical criteria: – What is being attempted? – Have the intentions been achieved? – Was the attempt worthwhile? © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Descriptive and Prescriptive Criticism • Descriptive criticism – Attempts to clearly and accurately describe what is happening in a play or performance • Prescriptive criticism – Attempts to not only describe the play or performance, but also offer advice and comments about how it should be done. © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 -16

2 -17 Fact or Opinion in Criticism • It is important to always distinguish the facts in a criticism from the opinions of the critic! • Critics can make us aware of information we might not otherwise have known. • Critics offer background material about the playwright, subject matter of the play, or the style of the production. © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. © Gerry Goodstein/Yale Repertory Theatre

2 -18 The Reviewer and the Critic • What’s the difference? ? ? – Reviewer • • Usually works for television, radio, or newspaper Reports on theatrical event Summarizes plot and identifies actors Offers an opinion on whether or not the event is worth seeing – Critic • Goes into greater detail in describing and analyzing theatre event • Usually works for a magazine or scholarly journal • Contextualizes theatrical event © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Dramaturg or Literary Manager • The dramaturg or literary manager is a person who often serves a theatre company as a resident or in-house critic. • Dramaturg comes from the German word for “dramatic adviser. ” © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 -19

The Dramaturg or Literary Manager • Duties: – Discovering and reading promising new plays – Working with playwrights on the development of new scripts – Identifying significant plays from the past that may have been overlooked – Conducting research on previous productions of classic plays – Preparing reports on the history of plays – Researching criticism and interpretations of plays from the past – Writing articles for the programs that are distributed when plays are produced © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 -20

2 -21 The Audience’s Relationship to Criticism • The audience’s independent judgment: – Theatergoers should not be intimidated by critical authority. – There is no absolute authority; critics often disagree with one another about a play. – Audience members can and should make up their own minds. © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Audience’s Relationship to Criticism • Analysis and overanalysis: – Some critics can become so concerned with criticizing the play that they miss the joy of the experience. – The critic must be aware of the job without letting it overshadow the immediacy of theatrical event. © 2015 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 -22