Standing ovation addicts are really applauding themselves

The concluding words of the drama are spoken, the last note sounds in the auditorium – and while it still echoes, the audience is on its feet, applauding. It generally starts in the stalls, with people popping up like observant meerkats. Then, either from shared enthusiasm or because they now can’t see the performers taking their bows, everyone else follows, save for a few die-hard grumpies.

Once a rare and spontaneous gesture of acknowledgment for a remarkable performance, the standing ovation has become the default expression of approval – so much so that seated applause can be taken as indifference or even as an insult. As long ago as 1989, Dustin Hoffman was distinctly miffed when his performance as Shylock in Sir Peter Hall’s production of the Merchant of Venice failed to bring the West End audience to its feet.

While the ovation traces its origins to ancient times, when it was a consolation prize for B+ military types who didn’t quite merit a Roman triumph, the obligatory theatrical standing ovation has its origins in the US, where applause inflation has been the subject of innumerable pained articles by fastidious critics who prefer a finer gradation of enthusiasm.

Back in 2012, the New York Times’s then chief theatre critic, Ben Brantley, observed that, “The SO … has become a reflexive social gesture, like shaking hands with the host at the end of a party.” On the other side of the Atlantic, the Cannes Film Festival has acquired an unenviable reputation for interminable ovations.

If a standing ovation were an unforced expression of gratitude for an uplifting performance, there would be no case against it. But the suspicion grows that it is more about egotism than altruism. The late conductor Bernard Haitink condemned with unusual vehemence the “idiots” who bellowed their approval of a concert performance before the final note had died away.

The effects on live performance of Covid restrictions have been painful. But as we resume our seats in the auditorium, we should remember Haitink’s scathing view of performative adulation. Applaud until our hands hurt, by all means, but stand up for nothing less than the performance of a lifetime (or a train that leaves in the next ten minutes).


The infantilisation of British palates

By accident, I recently bought a packet of Cotton Candy grapes. They were strikingly nasty, tasting – as their name suggests – of little but sugar. It turns out that these bloated sugar-bombs are not a faddish supermarket one-off, but the harbinger of a new generation of fruit and veg, bred for a modern aesthetic that prefers the bland and decorative to the plain and tasty.

The infantilisation of modern palates is a phenomenon lamented by nutritionists, but vigorously promoted by the same supermarkets that peddle virtuous platitudes about healthy eating. Of the five basic tastes – salty, sour, umami, bitter and sweet – it is the last that is ubiquitous in the food stores where most of us shop, lurking even in “savoury” foods.

Aside from the dire health consequences of the sickly hegemony, the erosion of our ability to appreciate a wider range of flavours is a formidable cultural loss. It is as though we were restricted to an aural diet of bubblegum pop, when what we need is the pungent operatic complexity of Roquefort, anchovies – and proper onions that make you weep as you slice them.

Related Posts

Property Management in Dubai: Effective Rental Strategies and Choosing a Management Company

“Property Management in Dubai: Effective Rental Strategies and Choosing a Management Company” In Dubai, one of the most dynamically developing regions in the world, the real estate…

In Poland, an 18-year-old Ukrainian ran away from the police and died in an accident, – media

The guy crashed into a roadside pole at high speed. In Poland, an 18-year-old Ukrainian ran away from the police and died in an accident / illustrative…

NATO saw no signs that the Russian Federation was planning an attack on one of the Alliance countries

Bauer recalled that according to Article 3 of the NATO treaty, every country must be able to defend itself. Rob Bauer commented on concerns that Russia is…

The Russian Federation has modernized the Kh-101 missile, doubling its warhead, analysts

The installation of an additional warhead in addition to the conventional high-explosive fragmentation one occurred due to a reduction in the size of the fuel tank. The…

Four people killed by storm in European holiday destinations

The deaths come amid warnings of high winds and rain thanks to Storm Nelson. Rescuers discovered bodies in two separate incidents / photo ua.depositphotos.com Four people, including…

Egg baba: a centuries-old recipe of 24 yolks for Catholic Easter

They like to put it in the Easter basket in Poland. However, many countries have their own variations of “bab”. The woman’s original recipe is associated with…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *