Ovation inflation has spread from Broadway to London’s West End
Why do dud plays get standing ovations?
At the end of “The Tempest”, Prospero steps forward to solicit applause. Shakespeare’s magician will be marooned on her island, unless she is freed “with the help of your good hands”, pleads Sigourney Weaver in a cross-dressed production at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London. The film star is a bland passenger in a play her character should command. Yet, on cue, the audience rises as one to acclaim her.
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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Ovation inflation”
Culture January 11th 2025
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From the January 11th 2025 edition
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