The Daily Telegraph columnist Michael Henderson was absolutely right last week to condemn the irritating practice — increasingly observable in our theatres — of patrons giving standing ovations at the end of performances.
“Me, me, me,” he wrote. “It’s all about me.”
Henderson claimed — correctly I think — that we have American influence to blame for this. Interestingly, I noted the phenomenon in the West End after two plays starring leading ladies imported from America, Blithe Spirit with Angela Lansbury (left) and Bakersfield Mist featuring Kathleen Turner. Ms Turner’s curtain call last Wednesday went unobserved by me because my view was blocked by all those who had leapt to their feet.
At Grange Park Opera on Friday I noted that approval of Peter Grimes was expressed at the end by a pronounced stamping of feet. The same method is employed at Garsington Opera, I have observed. This seems to me most undignified.
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