Persuading audiences to not stand for nearly every performance is like trying to get them to use pronouns properly - a losing battle ("Me and Larry," not gender designations, although Trump may quash that). Language evolves despite all the rules proscripters put on it, and culture shifts by the masses, not any single individual. Perhaps folks will begin to sit through curtain calls, but I doubt it. It's uncomfortable being "that guy" who refuses to stand, so I usually, belatedly, and reluctantly do.
Thank you for your insight. I've often wondered why Charlotte audiences give ovations to every live performance I've been to. Many times, I'm only standing at the end because I feel like I have to, not because I feel the performance deserved it.
I used to be bothered by standing ovations for less than exceptional events, but I came to see them more as people just wanting to express their thanks and appreciation and enjoyment for whatever reason and for whatever they saw or experienced. For something that touched or spoke to them, even if it didn't have the same affect on me. Why waste time carping about people showing thanks and appreciation just because it didn't rise to that level for you? We need to be around as much joy as we can experience, especially these days.
“The standing ovation has devolved to the equivalent of polite applause.” Thst’s what my head wants to say. My heart though, wonders if new audiences are so extraordinarily wowed by art they have little to no exposure of, that they can’t help but stand to their feet. That is the universal sign of a good show and they have learned that by seeing it on a screen. But then you have the “me toos” who decide to stand because others are. Maybe that’s how we end up with such large standing ovations.
Persuading audiences to not stand for nearly every performance is like trying to get them to use pronouns properly - a losing battle ("Me and Larry," not gender designations, although Trump may quash that). Language evolves despite all the rules proscripters put on it, and culture shifts by the masses, not any single individual. Perhaps folks will begin to sit through curtain calls, but I doubt it. It's uncomfortable being "that guy" who refuses to stand, so I usually, belatedly, and reluctantly do.
Thank you for your insight. I've often wondered why Charlotte audiences give ovations to every live performance I've been to. Many times, I'm only standing at the end because I feel like I have to, not because I feel the performance deserved it.
I have often times not agreed with Lawrence Toppman over the decades, but he is dead on this time. Thanks for saying what we are all thinking.
I used to be bothered by standing ovations for less than exceptional events, but I came to see them more as people just wanting to express their thanks and appreciation and enjoyment for whatever reason and for whatever they saw or experienced. For something that touched or spoke to them, even if it didn't have the same affect on me. Why waste time carping about people showing thanks and appreciation just because it didn't rise to that level for you? We need to be around as much joy as we can experience, especially these days.
“The standing ovation has devolved to the equivalent of polite applause.” Thst’s what my head wants to say. My heart though, wonders if new audiences are so extraordinarily wowed by art they have little to no exposure of, that they can’t help but stand to their feet. That is the universal sign of a good show and they have learned that by seeing it on a screen. But then you have the “me toos” who decide to stand because others are. Maybe that’s how we end up with such large standing ovations.