Applause following the close of Act I -- appropriate or not?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 12:30pm

I had my iPod on shuffle and "I Believe" from SPRING AWAKENING began to play, which brought back memories of seeing the show the two times that I did. My thoughts about the production can be found if you search the boards, but in a nutshell: first time I saw it I hated it but the following day the music and moments from the production haunted me and I couldn't get it out of my head. Had to see it again and my mind was changed -- I liked the show.

Back on topic now, I recall that after the (*SPOILER*: uncomfortable sex scene between the two leads, ending with the penetration and abrupt blackout *END SPOILER*) to end Act I, the theatre filled with applause. However, I did not applaud. I was shocked and felt uncomfortable about the events the characters just went to. I definitely wanted to stay glued to my seat and find out what happens next.

While all of the thoughts that the show produced going around in my head were making me think and feel, most of the theatre quickly burst into applause. I thought this was very inappropriate. A dramatic moment just occurred and with such enthusiastic applause, it seems like we are FAVORING what just happened. (I wonder if they applaud during this intermission over in the UK?).

Which brings me to the topic discussion -- is it appropriate or not? With the birth of the American musical comedy, applause is common at intermission because the audience had been entertained, enjoyed the show, and wanted the performers to know they were liking it. This 'applause' is a product from vaudeville and other precedent stage shows. As the musical evolved, it grew include more dramatic musicals and in my experiences of theatre-going, that intermission applause has retained. Of course the "appropriateness" call can only be made on a case-by-case, show-by-show basis, though using the kind of Act I closer that SPRING AWAKENING is, do you think that to follow with applause is still appropriate?

Additionally, if you were one of the performers or creative team, would you question why there WASN'T intermission applause and would it negatively impact how you think the show is going?

Personally, I think as a director of SPRING AWAKENING I would want zero applause then. It's other moments throughout the show and at curtain call that I would hope for applause.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 12:35pm

I think people are applauding the effort of the actors in the first half-it is not specifically related to the content of the piece. If an act ends with the amount of intensity you felt at Spring Awakening, then I think the actors deserve a round of applause for summoning that in you.

[MusicSnob1]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 12:36pm

what Betty said.

Besides, it's just becoming a "tradition" (similar to that of Standing Ovations for all productions even if it's not deserving).

[CapnHook]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 12:52pm

I've acknowledged that it is now customary ("tradition"), but the question is if it is appropriate? Artistically, I would think the creators would want to drive the piece to create a certain specific emotional response. Applause is not a response I would want, personally. But I guess everyone (audience, performers, creators) just settle into the customary response.

Most powerful production I have been to is a production of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK where the director took liberties with the ending (I won't go into detail for the sake of time). The response from the audience was that during curtain call, there was no applause. Only silence. Each actor was blocked to walk downstage (no one bowed, which helped), all throughout which the theatre was silent. The actors then exited to go backstage, where THEN thunderous applause exploded. The actors re-entered for a second curtain call, tears in their eyes. The energy between audience and the production was electrifying. Perfection.

[yankee_fan907]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 1:23pm

I personally do not clap after any emotionally moving piece whether it's at the end of the first act or the middle of the second. I've always thought the same way as you. Excessive clapping can really pull you out of the moment. But, I think people think that the people around them will view them negatively if they don't clap. (Additionally, I did not clap after many numbers in Bye Bye Birdie, but that was for other reasons.)

[Taryn]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 1:53pm

While all of the thoughts that the show produced going around in my head were making me think and feel, most of the theatre quickly burst into applause. I thought this was very inappropriate. A dramatic moment just occurred and with such enthusiastic applause, it seems like we are FAVORING what just happened.

Do you feel that way about applause at the end of a show when a show ends on a very dramatic moment?

I don't see why applause after intermission is any more about approval of the content than applause at the end of the show. Why would the applause be anything other than approval of the quality of the show?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 2:16pm

It's different. At the end of Act I, there is more story to be told. At the end of Act II, the story is over. During curtain call, when the actors are staged to be acknowledged by group and individually -- that is a designated spot for to applaud for "approval" and thanks. Again, it depends on the show. In the case of SPRING AWAKENING's Act II closing number, I think applause is appropriate.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 2:20pm

I think if you look at musicals, the first act usually ends with a musical number. As different as they maybe I think that we are trained as an audience to show our enjoyment and respect for whatever was just presented to us.

I think that unless we are stopped from our applause, we feel left out. This night doesn't belong to the audience as well. I remember Stephen Sondheim said a quote about today's theatre in the PBS documentary: "Broadway: The American Musical". I paraphrase, but its there:

"Nowadays, the theatre becomes an event for many people. They buy tickets, a year in advance, to whatever the biggest show is, whatever show its hard to get tickets for. Then you have to pay for the babysitter. Then you have to eat. So you go out to dinner. And now your at the show, and people feel like, 'we payed a lot of money to be here. So this is our night.' So they stand and ovate it. Today the audience needs to have that moment where they can say, 'Hey, we are a part of the event too. So, I'm going to ovate it to show I'm here too."

In brief, I think its not about is it appropriate or not. It's the "new" or "modern" practises we have adopted that, I feel are innapropriate.

I think a better question to ask: "Is it appropriate or not to have applause when a certain actor or actress make their first entrance?" Many people may argue, they're a "star" or "legend", and I agree with that. But in a show like "Wicked" with the actress playing Elphaba enters, their is always applause, no matter if its Idina Menzel, or an understudy, who to the general public they have no idea who they are.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 2:28pm

It's theater, it's live, it's make pretend. More than most shows, Spring Awakening goes out of its way to remind you at all times that you are watching performers telling the story. Some of the audience is onstage. There is a square playing space where all the action happens, surrounded by the band on one side and viewers (including those in the house) on the other three sides. This show says, "Right here is where the story is told and the rest of us are observers."

It's hard to believe applause at the end of an act is THE THING that shatters the illusion that it's all happening right in front of you in real time to real people. It seems to me you missed one of the artistic points of the show. It's completely appropriate to applaud at the end of an act. As the cast walks off stage while the houselights come up they are receiving the audience's energy telling them they have done a good job.

I'm really perplexed by your proposition that it is "wrong."

[frapperia]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 2:51pm

Of course it's not inappropriate to applaud after a particularly emotional or shocking moment. I recently saw a one-act play called Cock which was very funny but also very emotionally intense. At the end, there was a big gap between lights down and applause, because everyone was so shocked and sucked in, but then wanted to show their appreciation for what the actors had managed to make us feel. Same thing happened at Prick Up Your Ears, which ends with a lot of blood and horror.

[Weez]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 2:59pm

Prick Up Your Ears was awesome dammit. Not a merry jape, by any stretch of the imagination, but a great production that I'm so glad to have seen and wish had had a less troubled run.

If there's any sort of appropriate gap in a production, then I don't think applause is inappropriate (obviously XD). End of act 1, end of the show, maybe after musical numbers if there's an obvious gap. It's what we as audience members bring to the evening. The performers give us a show and perform their hearts out for us. We recognise their efforts by watching them and lauding them as appropriate.

Capn, I'd love to hear about the different Anne Frank ending if you do get enough moments free in your day to share. :)

[winston89]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 8:36pm

CapnHook, I was in my high school production of Anne Frank that was finished off with a very powerful ending. All through out the rehearsal process, the director was talking about how the ending would leave silent due to the ending.

However, there were applause during the end.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 1/17/10 at 11:14pm

The only show I have seen where there wasn't applause at the end of Act 1 was Hair( I think it was because it ended so abruptly with it going dark, the house lights coming on and the ushers saying that it was intermission).

The one show that has the biggest applause at the end of Act 1 is Wicked. Of course Defying Gravity is the show stopper and of course people are gonna applaude that.

As for the question I think it's appropriate to applaude at the end of Act 1 no matter if it ends in seriousness or not.

[Taryn]

Posted: 1/18/10 at 4:27am

I have such distinct memories of the Act I close of Coram Boy because it was one of the most powerful theatrical moments I'd ever seen. Terrible subject matter, but I clapped my hands off when the lights came up because it was so amazing. (Doesn't mean I want to dig up baby skeletons.)

[rwlevin]

Posted: 1/18/10 at 6:52am

Have you ever been to an opera? At the end of every act in an opera, not only is there applause but actors take bows to accept the applause regardless of what happened in the opera. Musicals are simply the modern opera.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 1/18/10 at 4:08pm

I like the quote fashion guru posted. I think there is much truth to that. I think applause is not just for the actors, it is also, in terms of mechanics, a physical outlet for the audience to express a feeling physically and possibly let off some of the emotional steam that has built up for them.

[steveshack]

Posted: 1/18/10 at 4:40pm

Audiences are trained to applaud at the end of a song or an act. Great applause means they liked it. Polite applause means they're just going through the motions.

If, however, they don't applaud at all, it means you got them and they don't want to spoil the moment.

Writers live for moments like that.
Living in the Bonus Round