Investigating the Audience
Before we even begin to evaluate who attended the theatre at any one given moment in history, we must first recognise the fact that the individual attends a performance with certain expectations, values and prejudices that have already been determined. Also, we must acknowledge the fact that a diverse collection of people constitutes an audience, so in fact we are analysing the history of audiences.Gurr, A. Playgoing in Shakespeare's London Theatre historians regard Andrew Gurr's book, Playgoing in Shakespeare's London as an authority of the Shakespearean period, "an indispensable quarry for information on theatres ad audiences" . John F. Andrews also endorses Gurr as one of the world's leading historians, recognising him as "one of our most lucid and reliable interpreters of what it was like to attend a play in the age of Shakespeare." Gurr's article addresses the value and significance of the audience in performances of the period. He examines the effect of historical change on the change in the physical nature of the auditorium, audience tastes and the social composition of the playgoers. He attempts to patch together evidence from the physical conditions of performances, demograp
Stanley Fish who focussed upon "changing interpretations, but more particularly on the social dynamics by which varying interpretations are advanced" rather than relying on channelled interpretations of the text established a third theory of reader response. Fish's "community of readers" shared common values and readings were authenticised by the institution of the community, not by the text. However, does the pressure of audience response coerce individual members of the audience to conform to the general interpretation? Gurr acknowledges that much is known about how the plays were staged, but that very little is known about the interaction between players and playgoers to create performances of the 1600s. Even though Gurr tries to categorise the typical London playgoer as either a London artisan who attended the Globe or an elite or privileged member of society who attended the Blackfriars, it is difficult to gain insight as to why those audiences attended. Such generalisations don't acknowledge differences within the socio-economic caste of expectations, values and tastes.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1991
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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