Just sit down. It’s not *that* good

[InformEducateEntertain]

I live in London. I go ‘up West’ fairly often and visit the theatre. All sorts. Musicals, one man shows, classics, whatever looks interesting really.

I love going but what really annoys me is the apparently compulsory standing ovation. Most shows are good. Occasionally they are brilliant (seen Kenrex anyone?). But whyowhyohwhy do audiences now stand up and clap? Always.

They never used to.

I’m middle aged and grumpy I know but in the good old days the standing ovation was reserved for the truly outstanding performance (Kenrex springs to mind). Now you are seen as a weirdo if you don’t partake.

AIBU to think the theatre going folk of today have lost it or am I the one with the problem?

Yes, absolutely! There are some utter Prom knobs who mainly congregate in the Arena. The type who arrive at 3.30 to queue so they can stand in their special place by the fountain, even though they have guaranteed entry with their season ticket.

Yeah now it really means standard performances are rewarded with a standing ovation out of routine, not because it's deserved. People are followers. It's a herd thing that a few in the audience stand, everyone around them immediately follow. Now it's every performance. People have completely forgotten the reason for standing ovations; that they should be very rare and only for outstanding exceptional performances. Now every single performer and play will expect it as standard.

I agree. Some of the performances are ok, not that great, and not cheap, so yes like a pp that's what I've paid for.

Because they’re normally the ones right in front of you so block the view for everybody else still seated. Your choice is then so look at a sea of buttocks or be a sheep and join in. I’m a stubborn cow and always stay put.

It’s so irritating.

I think it’s part of a general socio-cultural shift in favour of OTT performativity.

Maybe we could love the show so much we lay an egg?

Where does the word ovation come from?

I used to have a chook that had eggs drop out as she was walking around so an actual standing ovation.

<slinks off to Google>

Are you the publicist for Kenrex?
Blatant advertising wrapped in a spurious aibu

It blocks my view of the curtain calls.

Does anything, then?

Rituals and standards exist for a reason.

Giving every performance a standing ovation does devalue. (And makes the audience members look unsophisticated and gullible imho).

It is just like life in general. Take Uber drivers now we have to say: got from A-B, car didn't break down, didn't rape me 5. got from A-B, car broke down once 4, got half way, murdered me in a car park 2, never give 1 in case they hunt down your family.

If probably the same people who clap when the plane lands

I went to two shows Friday, standing ovation at second only and it was well deserved

I saw a musical a couple of years ago. It was good but it didn’t get a standing ovation.
Afterwards I realised I’d followed the rather famous director out and approached him to ask if he’d sign my programme.
He was very annoyed not to have got an ovation and was complaining to a friend about it. Something along the lines of ‘the fat ** couldn’t even be bothered to get out of their seats.”

Haha!! Amazing. I’m going to say this the next time someone tells another person to chill out over something they have deemed too trivial to bother about but which matters to the original person. Love it 😂😂

I doubt that OP is because it has now finished. So would be a bit pointless

No - but when it happens every time, how can we tell the performers that they were really special? It's bad enough that every music performance has an obligatory encore to the point where the artists don't even bother to leave the stage after their 'final' piece because the 'encore' is part of the set.

It sold out so it would be pointless.

I take the point about London theatre being a bigger treat than it used to. I’m lucky enough to buy the cheapest tickets months in advance so I can generally enjoy a show for less than £30. However I think these comments miss the point. The ovation isn’t really about the audience but the quality of the actors and the production. I could stand up and cheer ‘wahhaay I got a good bargain’ but that is about me not my appreciation of the relative brilliance of the show. If we stand in applause every time then the ovation itself becomes meaningless.

How interesting!
As I no longer live in London I only go to things that have already had great reviews.
so I hadn’t noticed this trend for ovation inflation.
I’m tempted to see something mediocre to test it out but don’t want to waste my time or money!!

Hmmm, honestly I’ve not noticed it and I’ve been 3 times in the last month? I don’t go to musicals though - could it be a musical/ celebrity-led play thing? Where there’s more of a concert-like energy/ people are a bit more revved up?

Some people around me certainly stand up but to me it seems like a) it’s just more comfortable and natural to clap in this position b) like PP has said, people are desperate to get up and get ready to leave after all this sitting.

Once they come up for the 5th time I’m certainly ready to go so may be up by then. I don’t tend to get up specifically to clap though, even if I’m near the front, and someone else standing up near me doesn’t influence me to do the same, why would it?

@TheCountofMountingCrispBags @InformEducateEntertain she’s right though, Kenrex was brilliant and it’s written and performed by my friend Jack. I’ll tell him to cancel any marketing in the trades, because he’s been caught out on Mumsnet… also if you liked Kenrex, did you catch him in Cruise?

@ElleintheWoodsI encountered it at three or four non musicals in the last couple of months. Only one of which was it warranted (IMO).

I didn’t. Wish I had. I’ll be following him closely from here on in. If he’s opening a crisp packet I’ll be there. Ovating (??) away.

😂I also ovated up thread. I did give myself a second in case 'to ovate' wasn't technically a verb....

I agree with you op. I am disabled so I can't stand up easily so have to resign myself to just watching a sea of bottoms at the end of a every show.

I could tolerate it every now and then for something outstanding, but its over the top to do it for every performance of everything. And really inconsiderate to those in the audience who can't stand up easily.

You are absolutely right. Nothing else to add, really.