The Performing Audience

Capturing relational theatre

experienceCaroline Heim

“I do enjoy that [in the theatre] it is a temporary relationship,

but it is a very intimate relationship between the audience and

the actors. The audience is very participatory that way.”

Suzanne Foster The Cherry Orchard, New York Sept 2016 (PI)

• “But the theatre is eyeball for eyeball, and in the theatre you

can see and feel my breath, you can feel the resonance of my

voice. I can feel you rustling in your seat, I can feel you cough. I

know when you’re not comfortable, and you know when I’m not

comfortable. And we know when we’re together, the dance that

we’re doing. It’s a level of intimacy that only the theatre has.”

Chuck Cooper The Cherry Orchard, New York Sept 2016 (PI)

Artwork

Artist/s

Audience

Relationship with the Artwork

Artwork

Artist/s

Actor/s

Audience

Relationship with each other

Artwork

Artist/s

Actor/s

Audience

Relationship with the Char-actors

• “ “Going to the theatre can be very surprising: it is very direct. I

have direct contact not only with the actors but also with the

themes that are being portrayed there. I often get surprised in

the theatre, but not in film.”

Thousten Gilbert, audience member, Schauspiel Stuttgart, October

2016 (PI)

Audience Performance

• “Depending on what you say and how you gesture, you get the

feeling that the audience are breathing with you, but you have to

work hard to get there. When it happens, it doesn’t often happen.

When you get there, you feel that this job you have is the top job in

the world.” Wolfgang Michalek, Stuttgart actor, October 2016 (PI)

• “There’s a physical interaction that’s taking place. The audience are

responding to what’s going on onstage they may be squirming in

their seats they may be sighing, they may be laughing and the

performers are hearing it that’s going to affect the way they

respond.” Michael Reichgott, New York audience member, October 2016

(PI)

Audience Speak

- 1880

19th Century demonstrative

Audiences belly laughed, wept, sang, whistled, groaned, cat-called,

cheered, hummed and applauded their enjoyment throughout the performance

- 1880

19th Century: Demonstrative

Audiences belly laughed, wept, sang, whistled, groaned, cat-called,

cheered, hummed and applauded their enjoyment throughout the performance

1880 1980

20th Century Dark Ages

Applause (conclusion only), laughter, stifled tears

- 1880

19th Century: Demonstrative

Audiences belly laughed, wept, sang, whistled, groaned, cat-called,

cheered, hummed and applauded their enjoyment throughout the performance

1880 1980

20th Century Dark Ages

Applause (conclusion only), laughter, stifled tears

1999 now

21st Century: Experiential

Audience members often scream, hold hands, go up on the stage, dance,

sing, take photos with their ipads, talk back to the stage, write their own reviews

and customarily give standing ovations after every performance.

“I am really surprised how people do embrace participation, you know …I

mean obviously there are people who don’t want to do that and that is fine

but at least they can be in amongst people who do and you get that sort of

energy, you know. And it gives them permission …that is what it’s all

about…permission that it is okay.” Robert Grubb Actor, Strictly Ballroom

2014 (PI)

• “They were with us tonight” (Nicholas Bell)

• “They’re listening closely” (Steven Hauck)

• “They didn’t like us” (Sondra Lee)

• “They really got that” (Steven Tandy)

• “I need them, I need them so much” (KT Sullivan) (PIs)

• “Very, very alive onstage. More alive than in real life.” Abigail McKern,

London Actor, July 2017 (PI)

• “I consider that the life we live all day long, maybe is not the real life.

The real life is when they open the curtains and you see something

beautiful. That is the real life.” Isabelle Petiette, paris audience member, Nov

2016 (PI)

Relationship Speak

• “I find it intimate, you can feel a kind of emanating kind of warmth, is

the only way I could say it. You feel an intimacy already with them

which I feel a great deal of responsibility to not betray. You are right

there and I am right here so stay with me. So pay close attention

and stay with me. I won’t fuck you up. I’ll try not to let you down.”

• Denis Arndt Heisenberg Oct 2016

Encounter

• “When you have all that emotion on the other side of the lights, it’s

hard to process it while you are trying to step across those lights

with the emotional back of the character you are playing. There has

to be a place where you meet. Where the audience meets the actor

and goes OK. A place where the audience relax, or alternatively are

confronted.”

• Ian Bartholemew, London, July 2017 (PI)

• “The moment they were in bed together was so skeevy. […] I

wanted to shut it out, but it kept going. “Just get out of bed, I can’t

take it anymore,” it was just so uncomfortable for me to watch.”

Leslie Tucker, Audience Member Nov 2016 (PI)

• “I have a good look at the audience, I have a chance to look at them,

I try to find someone in the audience who is looking at me. I smile at

them, they smile back. I try to normalize relationships, so I’m not

(long pause) so I’m not the weirdo […] I want them to know who I

am.”

Simon McBurney, Actor, Nov 2016 (PI)

• “Rush” (Talia, Rocky)

• “Spark” (Agnes, Miracle Worker)

• “Trip” (Daniel, The Encounter)

• “Fright” (Ian, Half a Sixpence)

• “Turn on” (Anita, Brighton Beach Memoirs)

• “Warmth” (Edward, Noises Off).