My feeling is that midshow standing ovations are destructive to the continuity of any show that hopes to be dramatically coherent and are more about the audience's need to convince themselves that they are part of something special than about the performance.
Not to mention inconsiderate to audience members who don't want to stand (or perhaps, in some cases, have physical problems that make it difficult to stand). It's one thing to block the view of the curtain call from people behind you who don't want to stand; it's another to block the show while it's in progress.
I don't think that the reason why shows in London rarely get standing ovations is because theatre there is so much better than theatre here, but because audiences have a healthier attitude.
Fortunately, I can't recall ever seeing a midperformance standing ovation, not at Lansbury's
Gypsy, not after Tyne Daly's "Rose's Turn" at her final Broadway performance (well, her first final Broadway performance), not at Peters's
Gypsy, and not after Stokes's "Impossible Dream" (and I think I would have thrown up if he had gotten one).
Applaud for a long time, cheer and applaud for a long time, but please don't stand.
Just my two cents.
Oh, I'd forgotten: Yes, some people did stand for "Hello, Dolly!" in the last revival both times I saw it.
Updated On: 5/26/06 at 07:39 PM