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Preview Shows

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  • 21-12-2009 1:28pm
    #1
    peustace
    Registered Users Posts: 331 ✭✭


    Hey,

    Excuse the naivety of this question!

    A preview show of a play, there seems to be a significant difference in price between a Preview Show and a standard show... is this because the show might not be fully finalised? Is the play run as or normal or in a preview show is it stopped/started by director/actors at multiple times to tweak the show?

    I can only make a Preview Show in terms of timing so is it worth my while going?

    Thanks


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    #2
    faceman
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 16,641 CMod ✭✭✭✭faceman


    Yeah the term "preview" is pretty misleading. A preview is really just an early performance, generally prior to the official release date. Many previews have limited tickets.


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    #3
    Spore
    Registered Users Posts: 1,123 ✭✭✭Spore


    Ah, wouldn't really bother with a preview. They're under rehearsed usually, actors don't 'peak' for a preview. It's just a chance for directors to tweak the show and cull a few lines.


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    #4
    redeemer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭redeemer


    Aha, so that's why the previews are cheap (in comparison to 'regular' performances).

    ...(related question)...

    Why are some performances so expensive?

    There are a few shows coming up that I'd really love to attend but at €25 a whack I shall have to cull some from my wish list. It definitely makes it hard to attend theatre frequently.


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    #5
    faceman
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 16,641 CMod ✭✭✭✭faceman


    MarkJason wrote: »
    shouldnt me misleading. preview means to be not complete show.

    Ive never seen a preview that wasnt the full show. Can you give some examples?


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    #6
    Nervous Wreck
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,115 ✭✭✭✭Nervous Wreck


    A 'preview' in theatre is a public dress rehearsal. Generally, they run just as smoothly as a regular show and the director may hold the cast afterward and change some minor details etc.

    At the most recent Opera Ireland preview (for which, by the way, the tickets are always complimentary), though, the director stopped the entire show and demanded (from his seat in the balcony) that certain things be modified before the performance resume. The defeated stage manager just yelled "Okay" from the stage. It was a very strange thing to witness.


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    #7
    Nervous Wreck
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,115 ✭✭✭✭Nervous Wreck


    redeemer wrote: »
    Aha, so that's why the previews are cheap (in comparison to 'regular' performances).

    ...(related question)...

    Why are some performances so expensive?

    There are a few shows coming up that I'd really love to attend but at €25 a whack I shall have to cull some from my wish list.     It definitely makes it hard to attend theatre frequently.

    As well as the overheads involved in putting a show together (director, set design/building, choreography, actors etc etc etc), the production company pays rent to the theatre. Therefore, they need to recoup as much money as possible and since the venue also takes a cut of ticket sales, the prices climb and climb.


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