How to behave in the theater? Tips from the Mayakovsky Theater. Theater etiquette

Have you ever wondered, after listening to the melodic trills of the bell before the start of the performance, how the tradition of using such a means of notifying the start of the performance was born in the theater? We asked ourselves and found out this.

How did ancient Greek performances begin?

It is clear that in pre-theatrical times no one ran with a bell in front of the participants in the ritual. No one wanted to be late for the distribution of blessings by the gods. After all, in Ancient Greece the theatrical performance emerged from the sacred rite, being not the primary one, but following the official part. After the procedure of making sacrifices and thanks to the gods and heroes, the “theater” itself in the usual sense of the word began with loud trumpets, the roar of which informed the entire polis that the entertainment had begun.

What was it like during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance?

The action in the medieval ritual theater began with prayer. In the late Middle Ages, when artists performed “between courses,” the sounds of trumpets and drums announced the start of the feast. A symbol of the beginning and end of an action in Renaissance England, for example, was a flag raised/lowered especially for the townspeople. In Spain, the performance opened with the obligatory performance of a musical piece on the guitar, and ended with a general dance in masks with couplets and jokes. At the same time, the performance had no “pauses”. During the moments of changing clothes or rearranging the scenery, the viewer listened to a short musical miniature or ballet, “without interruption from production.”

When did the intermission start?

Classicism and the Age of Enlightenment continued to tell the story without interruption. Only “romanticism” with many fantastic scenes and the reform of stage mechanics raised the question of increasing the time for stage changes. Only in the second half of the 19th century did a special pause between acts arise, allowing the public to leave the hall and requiring notification of their return to the hall. The term “intermission,” which came from the French language (French entre - between and acte - action) meant a short “retreat” from the action, for which ballets and sideshows were written. But gradually the “intermission” ceased to play the role of a separate number, but offered the actors a rest.

Why did you decide to call?

Bell, bell, bell, as an attribute of archaic folk culture used in rituals as a signal and warning instrument. Therefore, there were no questions about how to invite the audience into the hall. Of course, with ringing trills.
These magical sounds came to the theater thanks to two traditions. The first is the design of the costume of street performers of medieval farces, who attach jingling bells to their headdress, shoes and dresses to scare away evil spirits. And the second is an imitation of ship life, where a ringing signal instrument began to be used in 1577. It was first heard in a theatrical performance at the turn of the 16th - 17th centuries during the performance of the William Shakespeare troupe of the scene with the sailing of a ship, when, as a decoration on the stage of the Globe, the sails “raised” and the bell rang.

Why exactly three times?

From the time of ancient theater about the start of action on theater stage was announced by three times the sound of trumpets, drums, and fanfares.

What service gave the theater the tradition of ringing warning bells?

The answer to this question is reminiscent of a dispute that has lasted for several centuries: who came first - transport, postal or theater services? I will answer in the affirmative: transport workers were the first to use the signal bell. The foundry industry in Rus' began to develop along with transport links at the turn of the 17th - 18th centuries. The bell was used to prevent accidents on poorly regulated roads in Russia.

The second and third decades of the 19th century were pleased with the construction of a hard surface on the St. Petersburg-Moscow highway. In the middle of the century they laid railway not only between the two capitals, but also between Moscow - Kursk, Belgorod and the south. The route developed by postal transportation soon began to wither, causing a decline in the bell trade, which forced the search for new markets. There was a need to attach the products somewhere, which is why they decided to transfer them from details of the design of the urban environment to a part of household and office utensils. Metal rattles were used in rich and poor interiors, in office, judicial and military institutions in Russia, including in the theater. As if in continuation of the ritual tradition ancient Rome calling servants with the sound of rattles, they began to make special bells - bedside bells, on ribbons, candlesticks, cabinet bells, corridor bells, etc. The assortment began to split up. In response to the needs of the market and rapidly changing fashion, foundries have introduced differences in appearance, transforming the handles, decorating the sides of the body and adding inscriptions. The ancient traditions of using elements have been revived in the design of bells. floral ornament, images of animals, people, fictional characters.

About the sacred power of the theatrical bell

The history of the “world under the stairs” shows that, preserving the traditions of “transition”, the theatrical bell even today separates the world of everyday life from the world of theatrical performance, material nature from the phenomenon of beauty. Just as the ringing of bells symbolizes the heartbeat of the city, so the ringing trill before the performance invites you to tune in to the rhythm of the heartbeat of the theater itself.

How did ancient Greek performances begin?
It is clear that in pre-theatrical times no one ran with a bell in front of the participants in the ritual. No one wanted to be late for the distribution of blessings by the gods. Indeed, in Ancient Greece, theatrical performance came out of the sacred rite, being not the primary one, but following the official part. After the procedure of making sacrifices and thanks to the gods and heroes, the “theater” itself in the usual sense of the word began with loud trumpets, the roar of which informed the entire polis that the entertainment had begun.

How it was during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance I?
The action in the medieval ritual theater began with prayer. In the late Middle Ages, when artists performed “between courses,” the sounds of trumpets and drums announced the start of the feast. A symbol of the beginning and end of an action in Renaissance England, for example, was a flag raised/lowered especially for the townspeople. In Spain, the performance opened with the obligatory performance of a musical piece on the guitar, and ended with a general dance in masks with couplets and jokes. At the same time, the performance had no “pauses”. During the moments of changing clothes or rearranging the scenery, the viewer listened to a short musical miniature or ballet, “without interruption from production.”

When did the intermission start?
Classicism and the Age of Enlightenment continued to tell the story without interruption. Only “romanticism” with many fantastic scenes and the reform of stage mechanics raised the question of increasing the time for stage changes. Only in the second half of the 19th century did a special pause between acts arise, allowing the public to leave the hall and requiring notification of their return to the hall. The term “intermission,” which came from the French language (French entre - between and acte - action) meant a short “retreat” from the action, for which ballets and sideshows were written. But gradually the “intermission” ceased to play the role of a separate number, but offered the actors a rest.

Why did you decide to call?
The bell, bell, tambourine, as an attribute of archaic folk culture, was used in rituals as a signaling, warning instrument. Therefore, there were no questions about how to invite the audience into the hall. Of course, with ringing trills.

Histrions. Engraving

When did the bell first ring in a performance?
These magical sounds came to the theater thanks to two traditions. The first is the design of the costume of street performers of medieval farces, who attach jingling bells to their headdress, shoes and dresses to scare away evil spirits. And the second is an imitation of ship life, where a ringing signal instrument began to be used in 1577. It was first heard in a theatrical performance at the turn of the 16th - 17th centuries during the performance of the William Shakespeare troupe of the scene with the sailing of a ship, when, as a decoration on the stage of the Globe, the sails “raised” and the bell ringed.

Why exactly three times?
Since the times of the ancient theater, the beginning of the action on the theater stage was announced by the triple sound of trumpets, drum rolls, and fanfares.

What service gave the theater the tradition of ringing warning bells?
The answer to this question is reminiscent of a dispute that has lasted for several centuries: who was first - transport, postal or theater services? I will answer in the affirmative: transport workers were the first to use the signal bell. The foundry industry in Rus' began to develop along with transport links at the turn of the 17th - 18th centuries. The bell was used to prevent accidents on poorly regulated roads in Russia.

Alexander Orlovsky. Traveling in a wagon. 1819

How did the bell get to the theater?

The second and third decades of the 19th century were pleased with the construction of a hard surface on the St. Petersburg - Moscow highway. In the middle of the century, a railway was laid not only between the two capitals, but also between Moscow - Kursk, Belgorod and the south. The route developed by postal transportation soon began to wither, causing a decline in the bell trade, which forced the search for new markets. There was a need to attach the products somewhere, which is why they decided to transfer them from details of the design of the urban environment to a part of household and office utensils. Metal rattles were used in rich and poor interiors, in office, judicial and military institutions in Russia, including in the theater. As if in continuation of the tradition of the ancient Roman ritual of calling servants with the sound of rattles, they began to make special bells - bedside bells, on ribbons, candlesticks, cabinet bells, corridor bells, etc. The assortment began to split up. In response to the needs of the market and rapidly changing fashion, foundries introduced differences in appearance by transforming the handles, decorating the sides of the body and adding inscriptions. In the design of bells, the ancient traditions of using elements of floral patterns, images of animals, people, and fictional characters have again been revived.

Do theaters use different start signals?
On turn of XIX-XX centuries, with the birth of the so-called “director’s” theater, the concepts of “beginning” and “ending” of action became a place of experiment. Each reformer strove to offer his own, unique way of entering the world of illusions. Today, the transfer between reality and fiction in the theater is a matter of directorial principle. Some do it solemnly, some playfully, some are akin to immersing themselves in sacred meditation, and some simply kick down the door. Therefore, I will only tell you about the most typical ones.
The only theater that carefully preserves the “quiet” baroque tradition is oldest theater France - Comedie Française. In it, the signal to start is three times hitting the floor with a baton. And no ringing bells for you!
If the action tells about the times of one of the revolutions, before the start of the performance the soldiers uncontrollably fire rifles and pistols, or the royal guards fire from a cannon. The tradition is attributed to two phenomena: a festive ceremony adopted in some colonial countries, and the 1924 film by Rene Clair “Intermission”, where two writers - scriptwriter Francis Picabia and composer Erik Satie - in the prologue of a silent film, deploy a cannon and fire instead of the third bell big pencil V auditorium.

Film-ballet by Rene Clair “Intermission” (1924)

When were fanfares used?
Mentioned in some reconstructions ancient theater the sound of fanfare should be attributed to the effect of aestheticization of the past, fairy-tale romanticization. These representatives of the group of brass instruments, together with percussion, are used to give signals announcing an important and solemn occasion. In operas, symphonies, marches, because of the major triad, their sounds serve as a color for the solemn, proclamatory or militant character. And today fanfare is used at the presentation of honorary awards, valuable prizes and to notify about the start of the dance ball. Again three times, no matter how loud they are!

On what occasions is the gong struck?
When an archaic plot is presented, the sounds of a gong are often used before the start of the action, creating an atmosphere of a tragic ritual with a dark, ominous timbre. The gong came to the theater from the art of war ancient China, where it was used as a signaling instrument, vibrating for a long time after impact and creating the impression of a colossal sound mass.

About the sacred power of the theatrical bell
The history of the “world under the stairs” shows that, preserving the traditions of “transition”, the theatrical bell even today separates the world of everyday life from the world of theatrical performance, material nature from the phenomenon of beauty. Just as the ringing of bells symbolizes the heartbeat of the city, so the ringing trill before the performance invites you to tune in to the rhythm of the heartbeat of the theater itself.

It so happens that theatrical etiquette largely repeats the etiquette of official celebrations and receptions, so it has many conventions and restrictions. AiF.ru recalls the basic principles of behavior in the theater. Some rules may seem obvious, but you still shouldn’t neglect them.

1. It is recommended to come to the theater dressed more festively than usual. Men can wear a dark suit, light shirt and tie, while women can transform their outfit by adding accessories. Ladies should remember that refresh perfume just before the performance - bad taste . Eau de toilette, even the most expensive, should be used in moderation. Dozens of aromas will be mixed in the hall, which may cause dizziness or even an allergic reaction in some spectators.

2. Rules good manners allow a woman to invite a companion to the theater, but in any case tickets must be presented to the inspector by a man. He is at the entrance to the theater opens the door for a woman. According to the rules of etiquette for the performance need to arrive early. Twenty minutes will be enough to quickly hand over your outerwear to the wardrobe and purchase a program that will introduce you to the line-up of performers.

3. In wardrobe a man must help his companion take off your coat and only then undress yourself. Having handed over his outerwear, the man keeps the numbers, and does not wear them on his finger like a ring, but immediately puts them in his pocket. Look at yourself in mirrors, walking through the theater foyer during intermission and before the performance, - tactless. If you need to fix something, tidy up the restroom.

4. The man enters the auditorium first, he also shows the lady the way to the place if the theater employee does not do this. You should go to your seat facing those sitting and ask for an apology for the disturbance in a quiet voice or a nod of the head (if the aisle between the rows is wide enough, then the person sitting does not have to stand up; if the aisle is narrow, then you need to stand up and let the passerby pass).
A man is always the first to pass between the rows., and his companion follows him. Having reached his chairs, the man stops near them and waits for the lady to sit down, and then sits down himself.

5. Take your seats in the hall no later than the third call. If they are in the middle of the row, then you should sit on them in advance so as not to disturb those already sitting on the edges of you. If your seats are not located in the middle of the row, then you can allow yourself to linger a little so that you don’t have to get up many times later, letting the spectators sitting in the middle pass.

6. If you find that your seats are taken- present your tickets to those sitting on them and politely ask them to vacate. If an error occurred and several tickets were issued for one seat at once, then contact the theater employees, they are obliged to solve the problem.
remember, that taking other people's places is indecent. Firstly, you are causing anxiety to those people who will have to prove that these are their places. And, secondly, you yourself will be embarrassed when they “drive you away” in front of the entire hall.

7. It’s indecent to be late for the theater(You can only enter the box after the lights in the hall have been turned off). In other cases, theater employees have the right not to let you into the hall until intermission. But if you are allowed to enter, do so as quietly as possible and sit in the first available seat. It is unacceptable to sneak into your seats in the middle of the action - during the intermission you will be able to take those indicated on the ticket.

8. Having taken your seats in the auditorium, you should not put your hands on both armrests- this may cause inconvenience to your neighbor. You should not sit very close, clinging to each other, as those sitting behind you may not see the stage behind you.
Crossing your legs, spreading your legs wide, sitting on the edge of a chair, leaning on the back of the front chair and resting your feet on it is also indecent.

9. Even if it seems to you that the auditorium has become stuffy, do not use the program as a fan. And remember that you cannot look at people in the audience through binoculars. It is intended solely to observe the action on stage.

10. The main rule in the theater is complete silence.. Turn off before the performance Cell phones, they interfere not only with the audience, but also with the artists. Do not discuss the performance of the actors or the inappropriate behavior of other spectators during the action. It is acceptable to reprimand audience members who are disruptive in a quiet voice, but remember that this is the responsibility of the theater employees.
If you have a cold, then it’s better to miss the spectacle: nothing disturbs the audience and artists more than coughing and sneezing in the audience. And, of course, during the performance it is unacceptable to eat, rustle with bags, packages, or tap your feet.

11. During intermission you can sit in the hall, visit the buffet or stroll around the lobby. The same rules of behavior are followed here as on the street. Having met friends, you can exchange impressions, but quietly. If a woman wants to remain seated during intermission, her companion stays with her. And if he needs to go out, he apologizes and leaves her for a while.

12. Leaving the hall during the action- a clear indicator of the low culture of the viewer. Even if you are disappointed with the performance, wait until intermission and only then leave the theater. Undoubtedly, It is unacceptable to fall asleep during a performance, even if you had a hard day and the production turned out to be boring. Show excessive pleasure in what is happening on stage during the action is also considered bad form.
Applause should be organic: individual claps heard in complete silence can throw off the actors. But after the performance is over, you don’t have to hide your positive emotions. Applause is an expression of the audience's gratitude, but whistling, shouting, and stamping feet are unacceptable in the theater.

13. If you want to give flowers if you especially like an actor, then do it at the very end of the performance, without getting up on stage. Wait for the final bows, when all the participants in the performance are lined up on the proscenium, and present the flowers while standing in the aisle between the stage and the first row of the stalls. You can also give the bouquet to the artist through a theater employee.

14. At the end of the performance, do not immediately run to the wardrobe to get your clothes. Artists often bow more than once, so wait until the curtain closes. Only after this can you slowly leave the auditorium.
If, due to some circumstances, the viewer needs to leave the theater early, then, according to unspoken rules, he watches the last act on the balcony, then, without disturbing anyone, leaves.

15. In order not to waste time standing in the wardrobe line, you can wait by walking in the foyer and discuss the performance you saw.
In the wardrobe, a man must first put on a coat or cloak himself, and then give the outer clothing to his companion.

When August ends, it is not summer that turns into autumn. In Russia, everything, even the seasons, is meaningful and polysemantic. When August ends, life smoothly flows into the game. The sea, warmth, carefree days and evenings, cheerful hikes and picnics, fragile holiday romances and beach flirtations. There is so little left with which a person can live serenely, and even this little we know how to use to the end. When everything around us dies, we, unable to cope with the lack of life, begin to play it. Shakespeare's time is coming, when life is a theater, and the people in it are actors. Most often not the strongest. And that is why riots, revolutions, coups most often occur in the fall, and political cataclysms escalate. Life ends and we begin to play war. It is no coincidence that this terrible terminology is a theater of military operations, a political arena, a behind-the-scenes political struggle. It is not the leaves that are blown away by the autumn wind, it is the curtain that is parting.

“I don’t like theater because it cripples the souls of actors.” But in the fall, other theaters open their doors and raise the curtain. Real ones. Real, because the feelings there are genuine, and blood, weapons, death are props. Theaters where we come for warmth, for answers to questions, we come to feel, to talk with each other about the most important things.

“I love theater for the opportunity to communicate.” A real theater, where there is salvation from the other - the theater of pain, loneliness, blood.
The harder life is, the stronger the urge to play. The earlier the season begins in the theater of life. It’s only August, and already boots are rattling and armies are being formed. But real theater is in a hurry. On August 29, earlier than ever, the season at the Penza Drama Theater will open.
People are already sweeping tickets from the box office, workshops are working seven days a week, sets are being built, costumes are being sewn and measured. And new heroes are rehearsing new scenes. All this gives hope. After all, thousands of wars and hundreds of revolutions have ended. And the theater continues.
The season will open with Shakespeare staged by Valery Belyakovich. This time we will be presented with The Taming of the Shrew. Many popular actors of the Penza drama will be involved in the performance - fortunately, the theater arrived at the new season with almost no losses. The “tamer” will be Evgeniy Bakalov, who received the title of Honored Artist of Russia this summer. Knowing V. Belyakovich’s style of work, we can confidently assume that the taming process will result in an exciting action. Well, everyone who is even more or less familiar with Shakespeare knows that it will all end in love.
Another holiday of this season promises to be a benefit performance by A. Nekhoroshikh. The Honored Artist of the Republic turns 50 in October. There are many other plans, but hardly anyone will dare to talk about them today. The theater does not know what other performance that other theater can stage. But still, no matter how difficult it is, we must hope for the best. Life is progressive. Which means the best, the most good performances have not yet been played in any theater. They are just coming. And maybe we are the ones destined to wait for the premiere.
Third call.
A curtain.

The State Academic Bolshoi Theater (SABT) always welcomes guests. We strive not only to please you with unique performances and talents of the team, but also to provide maximum comfort to everyone, including our troupe. In this regard, we ask you to carefully consider certain rules in force on the territory of our theater.

Bolshoi Theater dress code

Unlike past centuries The dress code when going to the Bolshoi Theater has become more democratic. Yes, times have changed, and we do not have strict requirements for clothing. The crazy pace of our daily working life will not allow either Muscovites or guests of the capital to specially visit a beauty salon before this festive event, or go to a performance from home, having previously put on a concert dress or tuxedo.

Most of our beautiful theatergoers don’t even have enough time to touch up their makeup. They order a taxi, dream of avoiding traffic jams in order to be on time for the third bell, and already in the car they put themselves in order. These are the realities of our lives, so in the theater no one will look askance at a person who arrives at the performance in his everyday work suit.

BUT! Let's not exaggerate! Of course, you will not be allowed into the auditorium in construction overalls or a tracksuit. If it's hot outside, think about the possibilities of changing your beach outfits to more civilized clothes.

Visiting the temple of Erato (muse of lyric poetry) and Terpsichore (muse of dance) in shorts and tops with a bare midriff is not just indecent. This is unethical and incorrect in relation to other guests and our performers. In all rooms Bolshoi Theater a comfortable microclimate is established and maintained. The summer heat does not bother those present in the hall and on stage.

Safety Precautions

Don't be indignant when you are asked to go through a metal detector at the entrance to the theater. Unfortunately, terrorists and vandals have become a sign of our time. We are also taking measures to ensure the safety of everyone in the theater and the safety of the Bolshoi Theater’s rather expensive property.

For the same reasons, it is not recommended to take sharp objects with you to the theater that, even without malice owner, injure any of the neighboring spectators. Such items can cause serious damage to the unique seats and interior of the Bolshoi Theater. After extensive reconstruction, it is magnificent, and we do not hide our pride. If sharp objects are detected, security has the right to ask the viewer to leave the theater building.

Information for beginning theatergoers

Experienced spectators have long known all the rules of visiting any theater, and even more so the Bolshoi. Every year the ranks of theatergoers are replenished with new spectators. We are glad that a new generation of connoisseurs is growing up high art opera and ballet. The information in this section is for them.

You should not come to the Bolshoi Theater with bags of chips or other crunchy products designed to satisfy your hunger in other places and snack on the run. Such products are not welcome even in serious cinemas, and even more so in the theater.

Selfie, photo and video shooting

A special warning - for those who like to take pictures of every moment of their lives, including fans of selfies. Any filming at the Bolshoi Theater is prohibited! Only accredited media representatives who have received permission from the administration have the opportunity to take photos and videos.

Homage to the actors and expression of gratitude

An important limitation concerns bouquets. We respect your desire to bow to your favorite performer, and every member of our troupe deserves this, but, unlike pop concerts, bouquets or baskets of flowers are prohibited from being brought into the hall of the Bolshoi Theater.

We have had our own rules in this regard for a long time. We do not prohibit fans from paying their respects to their favorite performer, but we ask you to make sure in advance that your bouquet is sent to him backstage. This is very simple to do: ask the valet for this service.

With love for little theatergoers

A little more information for beginning theatergoers, now very young. You can take your heirs with you to matinee performances if they have already reached the “respectable” age of five. For evening performances, the rules at the Bolshoi Theater are stricter: the child must be at least ten years old.

We hope that at this age children are already consciously assessing what is happening, and their parents have familiarized them with the rules of behavior in our temple of opera and ballet art. To avoid misunderstandings, it is best to take with you a certificate certifying that the young viewer has reached the “permitted” age.

With attention to our smaller brothers

A special warning to pet lovers. They are, of course, members of your family, but taking them with you in portable bags or other luggage to the theater is prohibited. Ballet and opera will not evoke emotions in them, but they will bring trouble to the theater owners. IN best case scenario they will be sent home, but may also be fined.

Third call rule

Another rule that is immutable for all theaters, including the Bolshoi: the third bell before the start of the performance means that you need to rush to the hall. Another minute and the doors will be closed. Don't be late, because you'll miss the most exciting action!

With respect to people with disabilities

When starting the reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater, we thought about everything, including attendance of performances by spectators with disabilities. The building and its interior are equipped with ramps, elevators and other devices that will allow everyone to feel comfortable in our theater and fully enjoy the skills of their favorite opera and ballet dancers.