The Mind Creative March 2014
Theatre goers would, of course, know the ritual at the end of the
show where the actors appear in the order of their importance to
take a bow before the members of the audience, who express their
appreciation by applauding lustily (most of the time). These are
called curtain calls.
But you know this.
You also know that in the case of a ballet or opera, this ritual
becomes a prolonged affair; and if the performance of the principals
was exceptionally good, they are called back several times. Luciano
Pavarotti holds the record for getting called back a mammoth 165
times!!! It was in Berlin on February 24, 1988 for his performance
in the Donizetti opera “L’elisir d’amore”. Tiring, if you ask me,
because it went on for an hour and seven minutes.
Sometimes when the actors appear, the audience jumps up while
continuing to clap. This is supposed to mean that the patrons really
enjoyed the show. This also might change the mind of the critic
lurking in the theatre, his poisoned pen ready to tear the play apart.
I know of a director who placed friends and relatives at strategic
points in the theatre and they would, dutifully, jump up as soon as
the spear carrier or the soldiers appear on the stage. This
phenomenon is called a standing ovation.
But you know this as well.
But what we usually fail to recognize is the fact that the play did not just
happen. The set did not just materialize. The costumes were not picked off
the racks of some clothier’s store. We fail to recognize that a LOT of work
goes on behind the scenes before the play opens and during the run of the
play. Some of it is hard work, sometimes dangerous too.
For instance look at the picture on the next page.
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