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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Standing ovation in a theatre

88 replies

Ginburee · 21/08/2025 03:39

Last night I went with a friend on a very very rare night to the theatre (2:22).
I have wanted to go for ages and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I am plus size and have rather a sore tail bone after a slightly enthusiastic waterside incident with the smalls last week.
In an old theatre sitting at the back of the smalls with a big guy in front of me so I had to lean made it quite painful.
As soon as the lights came on about 3/4 of the audience stood to clap- is this really necessary as I couldn't stand due to discomfort and people pushing past and I couldn't see the cast at all.
When did this beco.e a thing?

OP posts:

Tubatuber · 21/08/2025 07:22

It’s very common in the West End now. It has been for a number of years. I sympathise about your back. When going to the theatre with my husband I tend to book an end seat for him where possible, he has restless leg syndrome and is in pain by the end of the performance.

Hillarious · 21/08/2025 07:22

Sometimes it’s warranted; Operation Mincemeat, Benjamin Button, Standing at the Sky’s Edge.

Needanadultgapyear · 21/08/2025 07:23

It has become more of a thing since Covid, but it is a way an audience can show genuine appreciation.

That combine with the trend that started with Six in allowing the audience to film the Megamix /final number /bows.

Conversensational · 21/08/2025 07:24

I like them (and also have mobility issues and tailbone pain so I sympathise).

I think it's now seen as clapping = you turned up and performed, well done. Standing ovation = and we liked it.

I have been to lots of shows in the last six months and I would say 50% had half the audience standing, 30% had no standing and 20% which were excellent had the whole audience up demanding more (even plays where there is no more!)

taxidriver · 21/08/2025 07:34

Hillarious · 21/08/2025 07:22

Sometimes it’s warranted; Operation Mincemeat, Benjamin Button, Standing at the Sky’s Edge.

that's what i saw Standing at the Sky's Edge, well deserved the standing ovation

Fountofwisdom · 21/08/2025 07:36

GCAcademic · 21/08/2025 06:29

Standing ovations are not new, but were previously given at exceptional productions. What is new is that they happen all the time now. And not just for musicals or celebrity casting. Ive seen them at pretty much every mediocre production Ive seen in the last couple of years.

💯 agree. Modern audiences seem to think it’s the done thing and give a standing ovation to every bloody performance, even a mediocre one. It has devalued the concept, which was people jumping to their feet to acclaim a truly outstanding performance.

2:22 is a very simple and not particularly challenging play, and has always gone for crowd-pleasing celebrity casts of former pop stars, minor soap actors and similar types with limited or no previous stage acting experience. Hence it attracts a certain audience who are not regular theatre goers, and are just hysterical at seeing a certain ‘celebrity’ on stage.

ohbee · 21/08/2025 07:41

I think you are being unreasonable to conflict the issues here. The reasons you have given are why it didn’t work for you personally. I can’t stand at the end of a show so I just remain seated. I understand that others can and do though. As far as I’m aware it’s been going on for many years, I don’t see it as unusual in the slightest as a regular theatre goer.

EsmeWeatherwaxHatpin · 21/08/2025 07:43

I said you are not unreasonable but only because I go to the theatre a lot now and ovations appear to be standard now whether the performance deserved it or not. I’ve seen some really average productions that got ovations.

Nitgel · 21/08/2025 07:47

Yeah every show has a standing location. I personally thought the singer in evita was a little shrill 😄 plus having lots of action right st the front of the stage ensured loots of people couldn't see what was going on.

Then everyone stood up gor the ovation and rushed out at speed even while the orchestra still played. Odd experience

Spidey66 · 21/08/2025 07:49

It’s always been a thing when I’ve been, though I’m not a regular theatre goer.

I got a but confused by your talk of ‘smalls’ though. To me smalls=underwear. Do you mean your kids? Were you behind them at the theatre? Or was there a tall man in front of you? I can’t picture the scene?

Ddakji · 21/08/2025 07:49

EggandStress · 21/08/2025 06:19

I think it’s become much more common recently. Almost every performance I’ve been to in the last few years has had an element of standing ovation, not necessarily the whole audience. I agree that it tends to be in West End productions.

I find it annoying. I’m happy to stand if it’s outstanding but not just for a standard performance. I think it’s becoming’a thing’ and audiences think you have to stand.

Or maybe it’s because many people can’t afford to go to the theatre much (or just don’t go much) and so when they do they really enjoy it, have a great time and want to express that.

rookiemere · 21/08/2025 07:53

It’s definitely a thing these days and seems to be for all performances, not especially the best.

In my youth (30 years ago) the only standing ovation I remember is a young Kenneth Branagh in the Belfast Opera House to Shakespeare ( can’t remember which one). He definitely deserved it.

HollyhockDays · 21/08/2025 07:57

It’s supposed to be for an exceptional performance. Our local theater always has it. I’ll only stand if I genuinely think it was amazing.

ProudFriend · 21/08/2025 08:00

Standing ‘ovations’ are really irritating, I want to be able to see the cast at the end, and if someone stands in front of me I cannot see them. Loud clapping, cheering, stamping of feet all ways of showing your appreciation without inconveniencing everyone behind you.

Grump over!

rookiemere · 21/08/2025 08:00

I seem to recall as well that it used to be fine for pockets of the audience to stand up, but it wasn’t done by everyone. Now it seems that you’re the odd one out if you don’t do it. It maybe is because people go to the theatre less often and don’t understand the historical etiquette behind it, because it devalues the gesture if everyone does it for every performance.

Glassmatt · 21/08/2025 08:03

SadTimesInFife · 21/08/2025 03:43

Sorry that you are in pain. That's sound awful.
Were they excitable Americans? Or was there a celebrity on stage? Both generate exuberance.
Orherwise...not seen it.
Was it a good show, otherwise?

haha that’s true - we were at a Broadway show and at the end everyone stood up. I don’t recall that happening in any shows I’ve seen here.

Conversensational · 21/08/2025 08:04

Nitgel · 21/08/2025 07:47

Then everyone stood up gor the ovation and rushed out at speed even while the orchestra still played. Odd experience

Edited

There seems to be a trend for a lot of the singing to be very American and nasal in the last few years. I wonder if it's easier on the vocal chords if they haven't learnt proper technique?

Chemenger · 21/08/2025 08:07

Spidey66 · 21/08/2025 07:49

It’s always been a thing when I’ve been, though I’m not a regular theatre goer.

Edited

Fairly obvious this is a typo for stalls, from the context of a theatre.

EverardDeTroyes · 21/08/2025 08:09

Were you at the Bristol Hippodrome? The seats there are so uncomfortable and tightly squashed that i think everyone ends up in pain sitting through a performance there.

But to answer your point, standing ovations have been a thing forever. Wouldn't you be glad of the opportunity to stand if your tail bone is sore?

clotheslinefiasco · 21/08/2025 08:09

So many snobs and know it alls on this thread. And anti-Americans.

God forbid people might just be happy with the performance and want to express that 🙄

Conversensational · 21/08/2025 08:11

clotheslinefiasco · 21/08/2025 08:09

So many snobs and know it alls on this thread. And anti-Americans.

God forbid people might just be happy with the performance and want to express that 🙄

I'm not anti-American if you're referring to my comment on voice. If an actor is an American, crack on! It's a British cast singing in American accents when it's not a show set in the US that's weird. I went to one show when they were all channelling Ariana grande.

mazedasamarchhare · 21/08/2025 08:12

was this at the beginning or end of the show? You mention as soon as the lights came up, which happens when a play starts, but also happens when a show ends and when the cast take a bow. A standing ovation isn’t a new thing, although I’ve only been to a a few shows which has had them; thespians come out on stage a couple at a time, audience claps, finally the full troop are on stage, clapping is more exuberant and audience stands (if it’s been an exceptional performance). To be fair I haven’t been to the theatre for some years.

Goldwren1923 · 21/08/2025 08:16

Seriously?? Unbelievable

SweetPenelope · 21/08/2025 08:17

I go to the theatre quite a lot. I'm finding that it's less common than it was immediately post COVID. There was a time when people stood up for every play because they were so glad to have theatre again. It's calmed down over the last couple of years.

Unfortunately once a few rows stand everyone has to stand in order to see the curtain call.

AsTreesWalking · 21/08/2025 08:19

An ovation at the end of a great show I can understand, and yes, it's a nice thing to do for the cast - but the OP said this was at the start of the performance
"As soon as the lights came on about 3/4 of the audience stood to clap"
I quite agree with her that this is not usual, and really annoying! Not everyone can stand, or wants to, and those behind were unable to see the start of the play. It's just selfish and bad mannered.
And dont get me started on the phones...

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