To expect to be able to hear the Show

[girlfriend44]

Have been to a school play recently put on by teenagers which was good but you couldn't hear what some were saying.

Some had microphones and some didn't and you couldn't hear the ones who didn't. They didn't have big strong voices either.

Should this not be picked up by the drama teacher? Shouldn't they stand at the back in rehearsals and check the cast can be heard. What was the observations in the dress rehearsal?

Not wanting to run the show down as the teens did well but did the drama teacher and team not make a mistake making sure everyone could hear? Only mikes for some and the ones who didn't weren't strong in projecting their voices.
Spoilt it abit.

Have you fed this back to the drama teacher? What did they say?

yes totally agree. either microphones need to be available to everyone who speaks, or if this is not possible those speaking need to move nearer the front to standing mics so their voices can be picked up and heard. Basics of putting on a play/ production

I'm sure that when you volunteer to run it in your free time in future it will be magnificent.

stagefright?

I mean it’s a school play put on by kids, how good are you expecting it to be??

Are you upset because you couldn’t hear your child or because you were expecting quality theatre?

oh a school play?
normally only attended by parents and other relatives.
i guess you could feed back to the drama teacher
a shame, but common occurence.

Sorry what this. Why should I need to volunteer at school. A good drama teacher should pick this up shouldn't they. It's not rocket science. You stand at the back in the tech and dress rehearsals etc and make sure you can be heard.

Thanks yes basics .

Does the school have enough working microphones to give everybody one?
I wonder if they simply don't have enough equipment.

Did all the major parts have one?

Stage fright is a definite possibility. But maybe the school can't afford more mics

Why not organise a fund raiser to provide them?

is it drama club or gcse drama?
or an end of year production?

I did drama and it was triple underlined to talk our lines at a volume that everyone in the auditorium could hear them without a microphone. It sounds like very poor teaching to me

you can lead them to water but you can't make them drink

It's common not to have mics, I have sat through countless performances right up to sixth form and the quite singers couldn't be heard, I was always a bit upset for their parents who so wanted to hear their child sing (the acoustic of school halls aren't usually good which contributes) I was also a bit embarrassed because my dd is a now professional singer (opera and classical) so was so much louder due to training so parents were then annoyed about their own children not being heard.

You can tell them to say their lines loud enough until you're blue in the face but it doesn't mean they will. I am primary, so younger pupils, but at every assembly/performance I have prepared we practice speaking in our loudest voices many times but once the hall is filled with parents they almost all mumble.

It was a SCHOOL PLAY. Not the West End. I am guessing you did not pay actually £££ for a ticket to see it. (Though you'll probably drip feed that you did pay.)

Oh and YABU.