A Guide on How to Be a Good Audience Member

With theatre and dance seasons starting soon, this seems to be a good time to revisit being a good audience member. Theatre is a shared experience, and your actions very much do affect other people, good or bad. I am all for enjoying theatre and introducing new people to it. Dance and theatre are two of the most expressive forms of arts; everyone should enjoy it. However, when your behaviour starts to affect other people, it sours it for the people around you. This is my guide on how to be a good audience member. 

Learning the how-tos of attending cultural events can take a bit of time. Different art forms have their etiquette and traditions that aren’t obvious- the “Scottish play”, anyone? However, much of it comes down to common sense. The unfortunate part is that common sense seems to largely be gone now. It’s not meant to be Mensa-level problem, simply consider how your behaviours affects the performers and your fellow audience members. It should be enjoyable for all parties, not just you!

1) Observe Performance Times 

I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen rush into a performance late. I’m not sure why people think it is acceptable, but they do. And many of them grumble and gripe once an usher allows them into the theatre. I’m going to be blunt: you are lucky they are letting you in. Everyone else left home at an appropriate time and made sure that they could be on time. There are still some stricter theatres that won’t let you into the theatre for half an act or more. If you only have to wait for a few scenes, accept your luck. By showing up late, your actions are saying that you a) don’t have respect for the performers, and b) that you don’t care if you affect other people’s experience. Unless you are sitting on the end of a row, you will be interrupting someone’s evening. I know that there are people that are always late, but I don’t care- at a point, your lateness shouldn’t affect others. And whether or not it is a free performance is irrelevant. 

Also, any information about the perfomance is given at the beginning, which may include holding applause or anything else. Those aren’t given for funsies, they serve a purpose. You aren’t too good for it, none of us are. 

2) Don’t Block People’s Views 

This is a particular irritation of mine at the moment. Ballet in the Park started at 730pm, and I was there before 5pm to get a seat, as it is rush seating. A family showed up at 7:40 (missing the introduction), and sat directly in front of me. On one hand, I had thankfully seen The Wizard of Oz before. On the other hand, I was there well over 2 hours before to get a good seat and I missed most of it. They had absolutely no concept that they were interferring with someone else’s view, or didn’t care. At Ballet in the Park, there really is a break in the program where I could have spoken to them without disturbing everyone else. I love the open air theatre with ground seating, but it can be frustrating when people are thoughtless. 

If it is assigned seating, don’t continually shift and move around. Most theatres are designed to give people the best view possible, but sometimes there is no way around. I in no way expect taller people to hunch over when they have paid for their seats just the same, that would be ridiculous. However, if you can stay in roughly the same place, you will give the person sitting behind you the best chance of actually seeing the performance. As someone who does get quite sore sitting in the same position for long periods of time, I understand that you usually have to move some. But continually shifting makes the stage a moving window for anyone behind you. Staying still is considerate to those theatre-goers around you, and I can guarantee that they will appreciate it. 

3) Applaud Appropriately 

I think that people get a better sense of this as they attend more performances, and it is influenced by the local culture. I’ve seen some audiences barely applaud for a ground-breaking performance, and I’ve seen others that disrupt a show with constant applause. I am completely in favour of recognising performers for their amazing work. They have put months of work into that production, and probably years into their career- they deserve to know when they have done a good job. 

In terms of dance, I would say I’m probably more critical than most. I know what a strong or weak performance looks like, and how they feel. However, I’ve yet to attend a performance in my three decades of life that have warranted only a smattering of applause. And yet, I see that quite often. I’m not sure if they simply have much higher standards than me, or if they aren’t sure hwo much applause is appropriate. And the flipside of applauding constantly is also an issue. Not only can it push the running time of a performance, it can throw off performers. If you are seeing a talented dancer, you very well may see more flawless fouetté turns than you could imagine. And a talented opera singer may give you higher notes than Mariah Carey could whistle. A standing ovation at the end of the performance is the perfect way to let them know that you loved their work!

What would you include on how to be a good audience member? And do you have any exceptionally good or bad experiences as an audience member that stand out to you? 

Cheers,
The Historian
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