Description
Book SynopsisWritten in the aftermath of the Covid crisis, this book brings the past, present and future of theatre-going together as it explores the nature of the relationships between performance practitioners, arts organisations and their audiences.
Proposing that the pandemic forced a re-evaluation of what it means to be an audience, and combining historical and current cultural sector perspectives, the book reflects on how historical conventions have conditioned present day expectations of theatre-going in the UK. Helen Freshwater examines the ways in which developments in technology, architecture and forms of communication have influenced what is expected by and of audiences, reflecting changes in theatre's cultural status and place in our lives.
Drawing on the first-hand experiences of festival director and performance practitioner Kate Craddock, it also contends that practitioners now need to turn their attention to care, access and sustainability, arguing that the
Trade Review
Offering both a careful analysis of spectatorship throughout history, and an urgent reflection on the relationship between live performance and audiences in the present, Theatre and its Audiences is that rare book – both timeless and exceptionally timely. For those of us presently involved in the task of making sense of the confusing post-lockdown performance landscape, Craddock and Freshwater offer an essential blueprint for the future of the theatre industry, by leading us carefully through big issues like technology, communication, and accessibility in the age of COVID. But they don’t stop there. Rather than producing a text that is relevant to the present moment alone, they also offer a valuable framework for situating March 2020’s sudden rupture – and the ‘new’ modes of audiencing it produced – within a long historical context. Ultimately, reading Theatre and its Audiences is to understand the necessity of learning from the past, in order to build a better, kinder, more equitable future today. * Kirsty Sedgman, University of Bristol, UK *
Much more than just a textbook for students, Theatre and its Audiences combines academic rigour with real-world experience, providing an insight into how meaningful connections can be achieved with audiences, drawing on practice as well as theory. Essential reading for anyone in theatre looking to shift relationships to achieve deeper engagement. * Annabel Turpin, Co-Director, Future Arts Centres and Chief Executive, Storyhouse, UK *
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements Introduction: Conventions, Interruptions and Change 1. Performance’s Place in Time: On Duration, Speed and Intervals 2. Spatial Relationships: Exclusivity and Inclusivity 3. Technologies, Connection and Copresence 4. Honesty, Secrets and Lies: How Theatre Communicates with Audiences 5. On the Present and Future Needs of Audiences: Care, Access and Sustainability Bibliography Index
