Are matinees rubbish?

Question

Myself and a girlfriend are going to the theatre for the first time soon (not panto though), we were going to go to an afternoon matinee because tickets are cheaper and we had the time, but a friend has said that generally matinees are of a poorer standard than evening performances and we should avoid if possible, so are matinees rubbish?

Answer 1

A lot of people look down on the matinees. I find that audiences are often less responsive. Tickets are reduced price because people would rather see an evening show, and smaller audiences don't respond as well. People take a lot of non-verbal cues from each other in an audience. Laughter is the most obvious but there are others, and if there are enough people it makes a kind of feedback effect, which you don't get in a sparsely-populated theater.

Sometimes the audiences can be unforgiving; I've heard some horror stories. Older audiences in particular often attend matinées, and they have a bad reputation among actors for being talkative. (I won't vouch for it; all I have is anecdotal evidence.)

Some actors use the term "matinée speed": deliver your lines faster so that the show moves more quickly, both to keep the energy level up and get the show over faster.

And some less-scrupulous Broadway theaters will give the regular stars a break, and let the understudy perform. Part of what you're paying for a $120 ticket is to see the stars. They're required to inform you when they're doing that.

Oh, and actors really like to go drinking Saturday night after their show. They're famous for showing up to a Sunday matinee in less than perfect shape. I'll admit to making that mistake myself once; fortunately it was a very small part.

That said, there's a lot to be said for the matinée. "Matinée speed" can be a very good thing, a cure for actors who like to give too many dramatic pauses, and that can actually be a better performance than their regular one. Reduced ticket prices can fill the house, and sometimes with avid theater-goers who can afford to go to more shows and will be more enthusiastic. A truly professional actor always shows up ready to give their best performance.

And there's a lot to be said for understudies, if you happen to get them. They're often at least as talented as the real stars, who get the roles not because they're better but because they're famous. Some people would rather see the stars because of that, but if you're just after a good performance, you may well get a better show.

So I wouldn't call matinées "rubbish", though the rumor does have some truth to it. It varies from show to show. Some are worse, some are actually better, but a real professional show should be exactly the same.

Answer 2

No they are often better than the evening performance, because when actors have to do 2 shows a day, they must be fresher for the first performance than the second. The tickets are a lot cheaper because many people like to spend a night out at the theatre. I love the West End, but living quite a way from London, I have been able to catch an early train, have a nice lunch, see the matinee performance of my choice, catch an early evening train home and be having a drink in my local pub in time for last orders. A good day out for me!

Answer 3

Of course not! I've been to a few matinees at the theatre, and they've all been brilliant. In fact, I often try to get tickets for matinees - they're cheaper, they don't leave you hurrying to catch the last train home afterwards, and they're definitely just as entertaining as the evening performances. I hope you enjoy your first time at the theatre. :o)

Answer 4

i think that's a harsh view from your friend. No, matinee's arn't rubbish, and speaking as an actor, they can sometimes be more enjoyable than an evening performance precisly because of the reasons you stress. Cheaper prices bring a different audience, happier, keener, in some cases less snooty than the full price paying crowd. Go to a matinee, definately!