No Correlation?

Audiences are such strange creatures. Any performer of any kind can tell you that. The uninitiated may assume that the bigger the crowd, the better the crowd. (And indeed, the theatre loves to fill the seats, and that is the point.) Yet I am willing to believe that 90% of actors would disagree with this notion. They at least would not buy into it wholesale.

Tonight's crowd for example, was large. (About 280 I think, out of a capacity of 330. Not sure of the exact numbers as of this writing.) While there were a decent audience, they did not laugh or get into the show, outwardly, as much as last nights smaller audience did. This is not to say they failed to enjoy the show. They did, after all, give us a standing ovation at the curtain call tonight. It just was not as responsive as last night's. This concept has never once failed to amaze me.

Something else that has not failed to amaze other people, (or at least entertain them highly), is something I do in one of my scenes. I am reluctant to say exactly what it is, as many people who plan to see the show read the blog, and i would not want to give anything away. Suffice to say that it is a very simple gesture on my part at a key moment in the scene. I threw it in during our final rehearsal, at the director's request, to punch up the moment. Little did I know it would cause such a sensation. People in the audience, and the cast/crew seem to love it. I guess it really is the simplest of things that are best sometimes. (And believe me, the action itself could not be any easier.) I am glad it has gone over so well, and has managed to entertain so many.

Part of me is assuming tomorrow is the matinee, but thankfully it is not. The Thursday opening threw me. I look forward to tomorrow night. I find Saturday night crowds are usually better than Friday night crowds. We will see if this holds true.