HATING THEATRE
vax2.concordia.ca
Surely what can successfully separate the theatre from the
movie-house is the superiority of the *acting*.
Harry Hill
Andrea Maleck
In article <17JUL199...@vax2.concordia.ca>,
Theatre & film both share a wealth of fine acting as well as a plethora
of bad actors. Although theatre tends to employ more *trained* actors,
one cannot simply say theatre actors are better than film actors. The
two mediums require different techniques - the subtlty required on film
does not work on stage, and the "theatricality" of a good stage
performance would be horrible on screen.
- Just my $.02
Andrea
VileSpot
> Surely what can successfully separate the theatre from the
>movie-house is the superiority of the *acting*.
>
> Harry Hill
I would disagree with that. I've seen many plays and many films, and to
say that, across the board, stage acting is superior, is just false. I've
seen many stage performances I liked, and many film performances I liked.
The difference is, that for seven bucks you can see the best film actors.
It costs forty to see the best stage actors.
What separates theater from film, for me, is the immediacy of it.
The being there factor. The connection between the audience and the actor.
The way a good actor can "read" an audience and modify his performances to
fit that audience. That is what theater has over film.
Matt McLaughlin
vile...@aol.com
-Been there, done that- Anon
Culberson
In article <4sluni$s...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>,
vile...@aol.com (VileSpot) wrote:
>> Surely what can successfully separate the theatre from the
>>movie-house is the superiority of the *acting*.
>>
>> Harry Hill
>
>I would disagree with that. I've seen many plays and many films, and to
>say that, across the board, stage acting is superior, is just false. I've
>seen many stage performances I liked, and many film performances I liked.
>The difference is, that for seven bucks you can see the best film actors.
>It costs forty to see the best stage actors.
The best stage actors cost forty bucks to see? Get real... some of
the best performances I've seen have been for four bucks in community theatre.
dan
Nathan Thomas
Two days! wrote:
>
> On 19 Jul 1996, Culberson wrote:
>
> > The best stage actors cost forty bucks to see? Get real... some of
> > the best performances I've seen have been for four bucks in community theatre.
>
> dollars. You are a lucky, lucky person!
>
> JSB
Hello,
Tut tut, Jeffrey. Prior to my Moscow sojurn, the best performance I had
seen was a high school group in "They Dance Real Slow in Jackson." It
was the best ensemble work I'd seen. But as regular fare? That's
another question. . . .
Peace,
Nathan
thom...@pilot.msu.edu
VileSpot
>The best stage actors cost forty bucks to see? Get real... some
of
>the best performances I've seen have been for four bucks in community
theatre.
>
Get real? Real, for me, is what I can see with my eyes. And,
unfortunately, the best performances these eyes have seen have never come
from four dollar community theater. They have, to the last one, come from
expensive off-broadway and regional shows. Would I like to be able to pay
four bucks and see the best actors?- Yes! Do I think that is realistic?-
Based on past experience, no.
Having said that, I would like to state that IMHO all theater
professionals should actively support their local community theaters. CT's
are one of the most valuable training grounds for young enthusiasts who
later become great actors. Many of the theater professionals I know, tend
to look down on CT as somehow beneath them. That attitude needs to change,
as CT's are a valuable niche of the theater world.
Matt McLaughlin
vile...@aol.com
-Yeah, but its a dry heat- Aliens
Jeff Gardiner
I feel that "going to the theatre" or "going to a movie" are distinctly
different experiences and should not be confused with one another. When
one goes to the theatre there is a feeling of participating in something
unique. Something that is being done for you at that moment in time.
Going to a movie is like viewing a painting in a museum. It was done
some time ago and I am not part of the work, just an observer. You are
not participating in the event, just looking at the results. That may
be why they serve popcorn and soda at a movie and not in the theatre.
Of course, many small theatres today are allowing drinks and snacks into
the theatre after intermission, which I find personally objectionable.
But, it may be their futile attempt to enroll the "movie" crowd into the
theatre experience.
In the rec.arts.theatre newsgroup some time ago there was a long debate
about dressing up to go to the theatre. I have always believed that
attending a theatre production was an experience that required reverence
that one should dress for. Others, perhaps the movie goers, felt that
T-shirts and jeans are OK. The basic argument was to get people to go
to the theatre, regardless of the "dress code."
However, (and I'm really not trying to be a snob) I feel that to demean
the theatre by making it like "going to a movie" will only weaken an
already fragile audience attendance attitude.
To paraphrase my signature: Theatre replicates life, movies duplicate
life, and television is something to put a vase on!
Cheers,
Jeff
--
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-
Jeff Gardiner ____ ___ ___ Voice: (617) 621-8710
The Open Group / / / / / Fax: (617) 225-2782
Open Software Foundation / / / / __ Pager: (617) 765-8865
11 Cambridge Center / /__/ /__/ E-Mail: je...@osf.org
Cambridge, MA 02142
"Theatre is life. Film is art. Television is furniture!"
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-
Culberson
In article <31EFD9...@osf.org>, Jeff Gardiner <je...@osf.org> wrote:
>I feel that "going to the theatre" or "going to a movie" are distinctly
>different experiences and should not be confused with one another. When
>one goes to the theatre there is a feeling of participating in something
>unique. Something that is being done for you at that moment in time.
YOU might feel that way, but the problem is convincing Joe Public that
they are two seperate things.
>Of course, many small theatres today are allowing drinks and snacks into
>the theatre after intermission, which I find personally objectionable.
>But, it may be their futile attempt to enroll the "movie" crowd into the
>theatre experience.
I think this is stupid as well. There's something about sitting in a
large victorian theatre... chandeliers overhead and Joe Public beside you
eating popcorn. It ruins the effect.
>
>In the rec.arts.theatre newsgroup some time ago there was a long debate
>about dressing up to go to the theatre. I have always believed that
>attending a theatre production was an experience that required reverence
>that one should dress for. Others, perhaps the movie goers, felt that
>T-shirts and jeans are OK. The basic argument was to get people to go
>to the theatre, regardless of the "dress code."
I am certainly no movie goer(been to more theatre shows then movies in
my life), but I HATE dress codes. Dress codes are something invented by
people of years gone by to keep the drunks out... anything that makes me feel
uncomfortable is a hinderance to the show, and smart close make me feel sick.
NOTE: I guess the debate he mentioned on this subject was before my time on
RATP, so here's my input a little late.
>
>However, (and I'm really not trying to be a snob) I feel that to demean
>the theatre by making it like "going to a movie" will only weaken an
>already fragile audience attendance attitude.
>
Agreed, so what can be done to entice new audiences into a theatre?
>To paraphrase my signature: Theatre replicates life, movies duplicate
>life, and television is something to put a vase on!
>
My version says "Theatre IS life, film IS art, and television is
furniture"... (printed on thousands of t-shirts for some bygone theatre
festival I believe, many of my theatre instructors had these tshirts)
dan
Gerry Horton
you said--
I would like to state that IMHO all theater
>professionals should actively support their local community theaters. CT's
>are one of the most valuable training grounds for young enthusiasts who
>later become great actors. Many of the theater professionals I know, tend
>to look down on CT as somehow beneath them. That attitude needs to change,
>as CT's are a valuable niche of the theater world.
There's a CT here in the Boston area that is connected to the Waltham
public schools, the Reagle players, that has a program devoted to Am.
musicals. Kids go to summer camp and learn theatre skills from
practitioners who have those skills, and 3 major musicals are
performed over the summer, using about 5 Equity performers to play the
leads, and also to teach and inspire the CT players who serve in
featured roles and chorus. The rent the original (or tour) sets and
costumes, and recreate the Broadway choreography.
They perform with a full professional pit orchestra that is a real
treat to hear. Reagle combines professional standards with amateur
enthusiasm, and is raising a new generation of theatrte lovers.
tickets are $14-$20
I reviewed Reagle's "Annie" last month for AisleSay,
and my review of their "Crazy for You", which was even better, should
appear on Monday -- if I can stop playing with my newsgroups and get
it finished.
Linda Carson
In article <31EFD9...@osf.org> Jeff Gardiner <je...@osf.org> writes:
>not participating in the event, just looking at the results. That may
>be why they serve popcorn and soda at a movie and not in the theatre.
>
>the theatre after intermission, which I find personally objectionable.
I've attended several rather glamourous-looking theatres in London,
including the West End, which downright encouraged you to snack in
your seat. Someone would very likely enter the house during the
intermission with a big tray to sell you ice cream! I don't have
a feeling about this one way or another except that I abhor the
sound of cellophane during the second act... but it's a warning
to us all not to generalize. Not all theatres are the same.
By the way, Jeff, what's the source of your .sig quote about
"television is furniture?"
lc
--
Linda Carson, artist, playwright, technical writer/speaker,
lapsed mathie & generally fun person to know...
email to: lcca...@thinkage.on.ca
WWW homepage: http://www.thinkage.on.ca/~lccarson