Booing

[mrdreamjeans]

Forty years ago, my “bestie” Dora Holtzman attended a Broadway production of “Camelot”, starring Richard Harris. She was on the second row. Evidently, Harris was quite drunk. During the bows, Dora stood up, boo’d and shouted at Harris, “You should be ashamed of yourself!”

A director/writer acquaintance of mine from Seattle just saw a new musical (part of a festival in New York City) that he intensely disliked. He posed the question on Facebook, “Is it ever proper form to boo when you’re viewing live theater?” Most of us on his friends list replied no. The preferred response was a clever/bitchy tearing apart of the piece or performance at intermission or after the fact:) But that got me to thinking ...

Back in the 1990’s, I was commissioned to write a musical melodrama. It was for a Sesquicentennial celebration. The piece was titled, “Run into the Roundhouse, Nellie! (He Can’t Corner You There!). It was quite successful. One of the conventions of a melodrama is that it’s written in a way to encourage audience members to boo the villain.

Opera buffs know, that in European houses, if the audience members do not like a production, or a specific performance, they are very vocal about it! It’s almost an interactive sport. In contrast, they can be over the top with response in a positive way, too. A production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” in which I performed in East Berlin right after the wall came down, earned both. It was quite controversial; parts of it were boo’d; but, we’d also receive 20 curtain calls by the end of a performance. I played Annas, one of the evil priests. I took it as a badge of honor if I got boo’d. It was my job to earn the wrath of the audience.

In the 80’s, I worked as a theatre critic for a now defunct Houston weekly. In a two-year period, I viewed dozens of plays, musicals and an opera or two. It was an interesting challenge, as I was also an actor in the theater community. I never reviewed or promoted a production I was in; still, I was often reviewing members of my theater family.

I saw some great stuff and I saw dreck. One piece at The Alley Theatre, a send up of David Mamet, was so offensive I almost left at intermission. Most of the audience did. I was one of ten people (out of 300) who suffered through the entire play. No one boo’d. The reaction was more stunned silence and disgust, both powerful emotions.

In good old America, I’ve seen a hundred+ plays and musicals in my lifetime. I’ve never boo’d, though I’ve suffered through some pretty awful stuff (Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana” anyone?) Perhaps, for me, it’s professional courtesy. As an actor, I won’t boo one of my colleagues. In fact, contemporary audiences are more likely to reward bad work with a standing ovation. A severely negative reaction would be to not stand up.

I can’t remember hearing boo’s from the stage, or audience, for any musical in which I've performed in the States. Is the audience being civilized? Bored? So used to watching television the reaction is subdued? Should booing be one of the options? Or is it just plain rude? There’s historical precedent for booing in live theater and opera. How about you? Would you boo a performer as instant feedback in a live theater, opera or concert setting? We expect applause; but, does booing have a place in polite society?

Comments

[apparentparadox]

We've seen British Panto-style stuff in the US, and like melodrama, boo-ing is a part of the whole experience.

I wouldn't boo a regular live performance. What would be the point? Is the actor really going to change something substantial in the middle of a performance?

I really try to reserve a standing ovation for a truly extraordinary production. This means that I essentially never see curtain calls. I'm sitting while the rest of the audience is standing. I agree that a "standing ovation" doesn't mean anything anymore.

[mrdreamjeans]

It seems to be the consensus when I posted this on FB, especially from my actors friends and friends who are strong supporters of the arts.

[disneydream06]

Part of me wants to say, it's only fair if you expect applause for a good performance.
Another part of feels it would be too much like a melodrama, and I am not sure I want my "serious" theater to play out that way.
There have been times where I haven't stood at the end of performance when others have, partly because I didn't think it was worthy of it and some times just not to join the herd. lol........
Hugs, Jon

[mrdreamjeans]

I concur. I don't believe in standing just to stand when the work has, in my opinion, been inferior.

[disneydream06]

I wouldn't even say inferior, if it's just good, that's good, but not standing ovation worthy. :o

[mrdreamjeans]

I often stand up not because a performance as worthy of a standing ovation, but because I can't see the stage, just the fat butts of people standing when I'm not!

[disneydream06]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mrdreamjeans]

It's true!