Deck 1: Discovering Theatre

Question 1

The chapter discusses the audience's active participation in theatre. What does this mean? Why does this differ from an audience's involvement while watching a film?

Answer 1

The audience's active participation in theatre refers to their direct engagement with the performance, often through their reactions, responses, and even interactions with the performers. In theatre, the audience is encouraged to be more vocal, expressive, and responsive, such as through laughter, applause, or even dialogue with the actors during interactive performances.

This differs from an audience's involvement while watching a film because in film, the audience is typically expected to remain silent and passive observers. While they may have emotional reactions to the film, they are not actively encouraged to participate in the performance or engage with the actors. Additionally, in theatre, the live and immediate presence of the performers allows for a more direct and interactive relationship between the audience and the performers, creating a unique and dynamic experience that is distinct from watching a film.

Question 2

What is "willing suspension of disbelief," and what does it mean in the context of theatrical performance? Does our suspension of disbelief change while playing a video game or watching a reality-based television show?

Answer 2

The "willing suspension of disbelief" is a term coined by the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which refers to the audience's acceptance of the unrealistic or fantastical elements presented in a work of fiction. In the context of theatrical performance, it means that the audience consciously chooses to put aside their skepticism and believe in the fictional world and characters portrayed on stage.

When watching a play or a musical, for example, the audience knows that the actors are not actually their characters, and the set is not a real location. However, they willingly suspend their disbelief in order to fully engage with the story and experience the emotional journey of the characters.

In the context of video games or reality-based television shows, our suspension of disbelief can also come into play. While playing a video game, for instance, the player must suspend their disbelief to fully immerse themselves in the game world and accept its fictional rules and scenarios. Similarly, when watching a reality-based television show, the audience may need to suspend their disbelief to fully engage with the constructed narratives and dramatic elements presented as "reality."

Overall, the concept of willing suspension of disbelief is essential in allowing audiences to fully engage with fictional and fantastical works, whether in the context of theatrical performance, video games, or reality-based television shows. It is a conscious choice to set aside skepticism and embrace the imaginative world presented to us.

Question 3

The theatre experience is a collective response. Give some examples from your own theatre-going experience of how this collective response may have affected your reaction to a theatrical performance.

Answer 3

One example from my own theatre-going experience of how the collective response affected my reaction to a theatrical performance was when I attended a comedy play. The audience's laughter and positive energy created a lively atmosphere, which in turn made the performance even funnier and more enjoyable for me. It felt like we were all sharing in the experience of finding humor in the same moments, and it amplified the overall enjoyment of the show.

Another example is when I watched a dramatic play that had a powerful and emotional ending. As the final scene unfolded, I could feel the entire audience holding their breath and being moved by the performance. This collective emotional response heightened the impact of the ending for me and made it feel even more poignant and meaningful.

In both of these instances, the collective response of the audience significantly influenced my own reaction to the theatrical performances, enhancing my overall experience and making it more memorable. It truly exemplified how the theatre experience is a collective response and demonstrated the power of shared emotions and energy in a live performance.

Question 4

Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot mystified audiences until it was performed in:

A) Miami
B) San Quentin
C) Paris
D) New York

Question 5

The major components of theatre include:

A) The actor
B) The audience
C) The space
D) All of these

Question 6

The concept that the stage is a mirror of humanity originated with the

A) Elizabethans
B) Greeks
C) Absurdists
D) Romans

Question 7

Among the audience's expectations are

A) Relation to life experiences
B) To see the familiar
C) To express a collective response
D) All of these

Question 8

As the performance begins, we enter into an illusion that is

A) 4,000 years old
B) 3,500 years old
C) 2,500 years old
D) 1,5000 years old

Question 9

The Greek word for actor is "hypokrites," meaning

A) Shaman
B) Answerer
C) Two-faced
D) Blessed one

Question 10

To give way to the theatre's magic and to believe what is happening before us is to

A) Make believe
B) "Hold a mirror up to nature"
C) Suspend our disbelief
D) Enter the realm of the mystical

Question 11

__________ are considered "front of house" staff.

A) Actors
B) Ushers
C) Designers
D) Playwrights

Question 12

Directors who have reinterpreted and rearranged Shakespeare's texts include

A) Brook and Branagh
B) Beckett and Coleridge
C) Vladimir and Estragon
D) Thespis and Hotspur

Question 13

The rules of decorum for attending the theatre include

A) Turning off cell phones and pagers
B) A quiet, respectful demeanor
C) Not taking photographs
D) All of these

Question 14

The theatre's special quality lies in its being both a stage world and the illusion of a real world.

Question 15

Both theatre and film require the audience's active participation while we experience them.

Question 16

Audience participation is always designed into the performance.

Question 17

Theatre, like film, can be experienced the same way over and over again.

Question 18

According to Peter Brook, theatre occurs when "a man walks across a stage whilst someone else is watching him."

Question 19

Video games attempt to duplicate the immediacy of the theatre

Question 20

Theatre buildings reflect changes and attitudes of the cultures and times in which they were built.