Theatre Audiences by Bennett Susan

Author:Bennett, Susan [Bennett, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Published: 2013-09-12T16:00:00+00:00

This evidence suggests the power of economics to alter the production-reception contract. By changing the idea of the event, but not the production itself, Brook drew in enthusiastic audiences. They did not need to rely on critical opinion as a gauge of value for money but instead responded to an unusual opportunity and altered their expectations accordingly. Furthermore, the interactive relationship between stage world and audience is evidenced by Brook’s comments on the quality of performances given at these free shows.

Attention is also drawn to the importance of geographic location in the process of selection, both for production and for reception. A theatre district such as Broadway obviously carries its own attractions and Kauffman describes the crowd that is drawn there each night to the various theatres as being ‘as close to a sense of community as the New York theatre comes at present. Dingier than it used to be, going to Broadway is still a unique experience because of Broadway excitement’ (1985: 363). But is this really the case? Non-traditional theatres have established other theatre communities and one example, the East Village in New York, illustrates a theatre district certainly different from Broadway, but with its own excitement and its own particular appeal to certain theatre audiences.

In an article entitled ‘An Evening in the East Village’, The Drama Review (McNamara and Dolan 1986) documented eight performances taking place on a Friday evening, 30 November 1984. Many of the reports comment on the difficulty of finding the various locations and, clearly unlike their Broadway relatives, these theatres make little or no attempt to advertise themselves as theatres. While Kauffman might think Broadway is dingier than it used to be, Uzi Parnes writes that ‘the East Village beyond Avenue A brings to mind images of Berlin after the war. Many of the buildings here are shells, abandoned or torched by their owners to collect the insurance’ (1985: 6). Notwithstanding this daunting description, the cluster of theatres in this area has undoubtedly been successful in finding its audience. Jill Dolan’s description of the pre-show atmosphere at the Club Chandalier demonstrates this well: ‘The crowd is mostly women, many of whom are recognizable from the 8:30 show at the WOW Cafe. The spectators mingle freely; many seem to know each other and are comfortable in the space. Performers are difficult to distinguish from spectators’ (McNamara and Dolan 1986: 316). It is unlikely that Broadway and East Village audiences would find much in common with their experiences of theatre, but both rely on a geographic framework within which to select their entertainment.

Geographic location is always important. A play must be produced in a location that attracts an audience. Audiences who never attend the mainstream theatres of urban centres, either by choice or by lack of access, may be regular theatre-goers at community theatres, clubs, or even through their place of work. The teatros of Chicano theatre has been developed around the location of the audience, rather than the more conventional route of looking for audiences to attend a particular playing space.

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