An audience is a group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art, literature (in which they are called the "reader"), theatre, music or academics in any medium. Audience members participate in different ways in different kinds of art; some events invite overt audience participation and others allowing only modest clapping and criticism and reception.
Media audiences are studied by academics in media audience studies. Audience theory also offers scholarly insight into audiences in general. These insights shape our knowledge of just how audiences affect and are affected by different forms of art.
Audience participation
Some more advanced audience participation is most commonly found in performances which break the fourth wall. Examples include the traditional British pantomimes, stand-up comedy, and creative stage shows such as Blue Man Group
One of the most well-known examples of popular audience participation is the motion picture The Rocky Horror Picture Show and its earlier stage incarnation The Rocky Horror Show. The audience participation elements are often seen as the most important part of the picture, to the extent that the audio options on the DVD version include the option. In the audience participation for the Rocky Horror Picture Show, the audience make "call backs", and yell at the screen at certain parts of the movie. Also, a number of props are thrown and used by the audience during certain parts of the film. These props include:
- Rice- for the wedding scene
- Water Pistols- to simulate the rain that Brad and Janet are walking in
- Toilet paper- when Dr. Scott enters the lab and Brad cries out "Great Scott!"
- Noisemakers- used at the beginning of the creation scene
- Confetti- used at the end of "I can make you a Man"
- Toast- used at the dinner scene
- Party Hats- used at the dinner scene
- Playing Cards- used in "I'm going home"
Examples of Audience Participation
Another murder mystery is "The Mystery of Edwin Drood", a Broadway musical based on Charles Dickens's last, unfinished work. In it, the audience must vote for who they think the murderer is, as well as the real identity of the detective and the couple who end up together.
During the 1984 Summer Olympics, Cards were inserted into the seats of the Olympic Stadium. The announcer gave a countdown to and told the audience to the raise the cards, revealing the flags of all the participating Nations.
Tony and Tina's Wedding is an example of a form of audience participation that engages the entire audience at once, staging a narrative set during a wedding in which the audience performs the role of "guests".
The British panel game QI often allows the audience to try to answer questions. Currently, the audience have won one show, and have come last in another.
Magic shows often rely on some audience participation. Psychological illusionist Derren Brown relies heavily on audience participation in his live shows.
Categories: Media studies | Theatre
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