Ever been to the theatre? Most of us have, which means most of us have experienced that awkward moment at the end of the show when you're just not entirely sure whether to stand and clap, sit and clap, or not clap at all.
This awkwardness probably stems from the fact that standing ovations are, apparently, a rare occurrence in Australian theatre. This is according to John Bell, Artistic Director at the Bell Shakespeare theatre company and a prominent Aussie actor and director.
"There never was much of a tradition of standing ovations in Australia," Bell says. "It's rather rare. It's a very American thing. It's just a habit... I've been to lots of shows in America, and I have been in one. Every show I have ever seen has standing ovations every night in America. They stand for everything. You could call that old-fashioned good manners or just tradition or American enthusiasm. I think it's just what they do, and everything gets a standing ovation in America. That's just not part of our body language."
Bell goes on to explain that in America, standing ovations have become "rather meaningless… and when [people don't stand] it's a really bad sign." An ovation on home soil, then, is that much more meaningful. "In Australia? Well, yes, I have experienced a few and I guess it's more meaningful and more pleasant because it is so rare. You think, 'oh, well, people really enjoyed it'. So it does happen, and it's spontaneous and not an orchestrated thing. I think sometimes it's so expected, and so automatic that it doesn't mean very much.
"I think we always do it for overseas stars and festival productions, because I think we want to show that we are international and sophisticated. And if someone like Kevin Spacey walks on stage, you're supposed to stand up and clap because he's a movie star, so I think we always do it for overseas artists and festival shows but we're rather reluctant to do it for our own.
"I think we're rather reluctant to display emotion, we're reluctant to shout and cheer and yell out things. It's just not part of our tradition. But I don't think it ever has been, except maybe in the old days in the Gold Rush where they used to throw gold nuggets on stage if they liked the performer. But those days are long gone. They don't throw gold nuggets anymore, unfortunately."
David Berthold, a leading Aussie theatre director and Artistic Director of Brisbane's La Boîte Theatre Company, has a similar view to John Bell. "There hasn't been a decline in standing ovations," he says, "because it’s always been a relatively rare thing in Australia from my experience. Much more rare than in the UK and certainly more rare than in New York where it’s almost conventional… I think Australians have always been reluctant to stand. I think standing ovations have always been rare.
"In New York and certainly on Broadway, for example, a new production, on its opening night, will always get a standing ovation. 100 percent of the time, there’ll be a standing ovation on the opening night, in the New York context. So for those places, the tradition that has grown up around the standing ovation is quite different to the tradition that’s grown up here, or the understanding of what its function is. Certainly they’re probably a little more common in London, though not anywhere like they are in New York.
"Australia is probably a bit further along the scale, that standing ovations are thought of as special things in the theatre. Musicals and so on are quite different. Standing ovations much more common in larger musicals, and that’s, of course, picking up the tradition that’s grown up around standing ovations and the commercial musicals. On those big productions, you tend to see a standing ovation.
"What I’m saying is that the function of the standing ovations is quite different in the different cities. Its function in the New York theatre is one of regular congratulations. It’s almost a compulsory thing. Whereas, in Australia, the traditions are different — the traditions between musical theatre and spoken word theatre are very different as well. It’s a much rarer thing in theatre."
It's worth noting that David directed a production of Holding The Man which "got a standing ovation on quite a number of occasions throughout the season". Despite the not-so common occurrence of standing ovations in Australian theatre, he explains that "inevitably, if there were a standing ovation, the actors would feel more appreciated. I think performers in Australia know that standing ovations are quite rare. So when they come along, they’re much more appreciated than if they were done as a matter of habit."
Australian film, television and theatre actress Amanda Muggleton (perhaps best known for her role in Prisoner, and currently touring the nation with The Book Club!) agrees that standing ovations are important for the actors on stage. "I would work for nothing to get standing ovations because it is like you are being washed with love when an audience stands up for what you have just done.
"It is the most incredible feeling … It's just like being tickled in feathers and washed in love. You understand that they've really appreciated what you have done and they know that it's taken you a long time to reach that stage where your craft is so good that it demands a standing ovation. I have actually broken down and cried [after receiving a standing ovation]."
Amanda agrees with John and David that big, commercial musicals are more likely to get the audience on their feet. "It's only the great, big, really huge musicals — if it's got a really good song that happens at the end — when everyone stands up on their feet. It doesn't happen so much in straight theatre, and it's such a shame because actors work incredibly hard. I think they work harder then opera singers because opera singers only do three shows a week. We do eight shows a week and we pull our guts out on stage night after night.
"In America, they stand up for anything and anyone. I wouldn't like it to get like that here, but then when I watch The Voice or Australia's Got Talent they stand up no matter what. It makes me wonder if they've got people in the audience saying 'applause', 'please stand up', 'laugh', which does happen in television because it's often live to air. I hope that's not happening. But you know, sometimes the performances on those shows are mind blowing.
"It just takes one or two people who are near the front, to start it. And then they'll all go! But you've got to be incredibly brave to be the first one to stand up. Even I... a cold hand grips my heart, and so sometimes if I don't stand up I'll clap with my hands above my head and then if I see someone else standing up, then I'll go. But what is amazing, on some nights when the whole journey has been experienced by the audience all night, the show finishes and before you can even take your curtain calls, they're up! It's the magic that happens between you, the actor and the audience.
"It's about passion. If you're a passionate person and you're in an audience and you see something that is bloody wonderful then stand the fuck up. Stand the fuck up!"
