Words of mouth
Mon, 29 Oct 2012, 06:03 pmJohnny Grim29 posts in thread
Words of mouth
Mon, 29 Oct 2012, 06:03 pmLogging on this site today for my daily look see, I see yet another crtically acclaimed show alomost pleading with people to come see. Having had our own share of disappointing audiences, one is left to wonder why people don't come along, especially when the show is publically acclaimed. To that end, I did a little survey of those folk who take the trouble to email / facebook or text their congratulations (thankfully there was enough to make the survey viable.) Having received their praise for the show, I asked them the following questions.
1: Having seen and enjoyed the show, had they taken the trouble to recommend the production to others?
ANS: NINE out of eleven, confessed they hadn't.
2: I asked if that they'd seen a 'professional' production at Burswood or the Heath Ledger Theatre would they be likely to tell others of it?
ANS: EIGHT out of the eleven confessed they probably would.
My conclusions to the above are:
A: Theatre patrons being the lavish lot we are, love to name drop..'Oh yes, I was at the Heath Ledger the other day, saw a marvellous show blah blah blah...'
B: We 'Non professional' / Community / Independent Theatre Groups are possibly seen as the poor relation, or in such a good financial state we don't require bums on seats.
Fascinating really. Even more fascinating in my case, when the people interviewed, know how we operate (trust me, there's no skin left on my teeth.) Surely, the question must beg, (and I've dared to touch on this before) is what can we do collectively (going it alone to me would seem to be a tiny voice in the wilderness) to have people 'Amway' our shows in the same way they would ANNIE or THE JERSEY BOYS...? I know there's no magic wand, our own fairy has been waving her wand so enthusiastically this past two weeks the poor love has put in a claim for RSI...
Footnote: In several conversations with theatre people this week, audience numbers were touched upon, and sadly there was a general (almost accepted) view that audiences are dwindling, particulary for, dare I say original /lesser known productions. As a theatre lover, I have trouble with accepting our future demise (not for me of course but for those youngsters who share the same passion.) Perhaps we need employ a guru.
Position vacant. Theatre Resource Technical Solution Forecasting Administrator
Not a bad title really, I'd love to drop that one next time I'm at the 'Ledge.'
The up the road from the Mersey boy
Hmmm
Thu, 1 Nov 2012, 02:40 pmI do new work. That makes it hard to promote anytime. In that I'm like Johnny. In fact next year I intend to do one of his plays in Adelaide. (Johnny I've already got 3 out of the 4 women.) My recent play Snakes and Ladders got an average audience of 12 in a theatre seating 120.
I find it difficlut to promote anyway. I put it out there on the social media and invite my 300 or so friends and ask them to pass it on and they don't. The number I invite stays the same throughout. I see yet another production of ... lets say ... The Importance of Being Earnest end up with an invitation list in the thousands.
Its not as though I'm the new kid on the block. I've been around for an eternity. I work with some very good and respected actors from the community and independant worlds and people do come to see them. The Theatre Community largely stays away from my shows. If I ask why? I get, too busy, I was working on another show, I was washing my hair, well you get the point. We shouldn't of course rely on other theatre people to come, they are busy making theatre. I and my company sit very uncomfortably between Independant and Community. We are neither one nor the other, we are self funded and work as co op but I do use people from the amateur world.
I also find it incredibly difficlut to get reviews. I must have upset people sometime.
I am very afraid that we are on the slippery slope to the death of theatre, at least non musical drama.
When I was at Uni training for this "career" I remember being told that during difficult times, war, depression etc People don't go to straight theatre but go to the spectacles, the musicals and the comedies. This doesn't really explain Brechts success in post war Germany but it has a ring of truth.
Incidently I also remember being told that in a Census a few ago (I think about 1986) a question was asked about leisure activity and nearly twice as many people said they had been to a live performance of music or theatre in the previous week as said that they had been to a sports event.
I suspect that this would not be true today.
I also think I wandered all over the place in this post. I'm feeling a bit depreesed about theatre at the moment.
Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
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www.moorebooks.net.au