Remarks | |
Cognition | Refers to the comprehensibility of a performance while providing cognitive challenges and inspiration. |
Emotion
| Involves engagement, emotional release, resonance, and surprise experienced by the audience. |
Sensation | Pertains to physiological and sensory stimulations, as well as experiencing aesthetic pleasure during the performance. |
Authenticity | Measures the extent to which performers are believed to be sincere and genuine in staging and performing the play. |
Coherence | Focuses on the ensemble and integration between different theatrical elements. |
In a comprehensive study titled "Exploring theatre experiences among Hong Kong audiences," Chan, Au, and Hoyan (2019) identified five key factors influencing the overall audience experience for theatre shows. These factors, validated through semi-structured qualitative interviews with 45 professional theatre practitioners and a qualitative survey involving 996 real-life audience members, include Cognition, Emotion, Sensation, Authenticity, and Coherence (as shown in the above figure). The research provides a data-driven foundation for understanding positive theatre experiences and explores the similarities and differences between various audience experience models.
The findings of this study have practical implications for three main groups:
1. Theatre Practitioners and Professionals:
- Inform Performance Design: Insights can be used to inform the design and delivery of theatre performances, considering cognitive, emotional, and sensory dimensions for more impactful experiences.
2. Researchers, Academics, Cultural Organizations, Funding Authorities, and Venues:
- Measure Audience Experience: The research contributes to developing comprehensive frameworks for measuring audience experience, leading to improved satisfaction and long-term sustainability of the theatre industry.
3. Marketing and Audience Development Professionals in the Arts Sector:
- Enhance Audience Experience: Findings can be used to improve the quality of theatre performances, making them more engaging, emotionally resonant, and intellectually stimulating for the audience.
The study also suggests potential future research topics, including investigating the impact of different theatre genres, exploring the role of technology in theatre experiences, examining cultural backgrounds' influence, and developing a comprehensive framework for measuring audience experience.
To peer into the world of related studies, several pieces of research were mentioned:
- Boerner, Moser, & Jobst (2011): The study evaluated visitors' satisfaction in theatres, emphasising the significance of spectators' perception of stage direction and emotional response.
- Mann (1967): This research explored significant changes in the British theatre and highlighted the lack of knowledge about the demographics of theatre audiences.
- Heim (2020): Heim aimed to classify theatre audience pleasure and discussed extending the pleasure of theatrical events beyond their immediate confines.
Another related study by Boerner et al. (2008) delved into the evaluation of performance quality in music theatre, providing empirical results on the content and structure of the audience's quality judgement.
Name of Article | Authors and (year of publication) | Name of Journal and sources of further reading |
Evaluating cultural industries: investigating visitors’ satisfaction in theatres | Boerner, S., Moser, V., & Jobst, J. (2011) | The Service Industries Journal, 31(6), 877–895. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642060902960792 |
Surveying a Theatre Audience: Findings | Mann, P. H. (1967) | The British Journal of Sociology, 18, 75. https://doi.org/10.2307/588591 |
Towards a Classification of Theatre Audience Pleasure. | Heim, C. (2020) |
|
Evaluation in Music Theater: Empirical Results on Content and Structure of the Audience’s Quality Judgment | Boerner, S., Neuhoff, H., Renz, S., & Moser, V. (2008) |
In conclusion, this research contributes valuable insights into audience experiences in the theatre, with potential applications for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers in the performing arts industry.
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