<BR>Pina Bausch<P><BR>An interesting piece on the dos and don'ts of watching performances and how they vary culturally:<P><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B><A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/11/15/DD117899.DTL" TARGET=_blank>Italians Won't Stand for Ringing</A></B><P>David Wiegand, SF Chronicle<P>I just flew in from Rome (and boy are my one-liners tired), where I caught Pina Bausch's "O Dido" at Teatro Argentina. Midway through the first half of the program, I was struck by how quiet the audience was. Nary a cough, sneeze or loudly whispered "review" of the program to be heard anywhere in the joint. So unlike American audiences, I thought. And just as I did, a riff from "Flight of the Bumble Bee," arranged for Italian cell phone, erupted from the other side of the house.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><BR><B><A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/11/15/DD117899.DTL" TARGET=_blank>More</A></B>

We had a whole thread on the audience - I believe, and many of us had complaints. Leaving early, arriving late, cell phones, too much talking, rattling candy wrappers.<P>Bravo for the Italians.

Yes, we talked about what people wear too, but I couldn't find the thread to post a link. That was one visible cultural difference. <P>I don't know about that coughing though - what is it about cough suppression or prevention that I don't know about?

Here's that thread about audience behavior:

The Other Half - the Audience

<font size = -2><center>(Edited by salzberg to fix link)</center></font>

<small>[ 08-11-2002, 13:29: Message edited by: salzberg ]</small>

is that cigarette meant to connect with the coughing comments? the first cultural difference i notice here in this thread, is that if this was an australian board we wouldn't be using that photo of bausch. health promotion is 'big' here - and that includes not 'promoting' the impression that smoking is an acceptable choice for responsible people......i.e. those who might be role models (i know who is going to HATE that comment, here - so i hope they don't bother to notice it! )

Cigarettes are a trademark of Bausch. In the film of 'Rehearsing the Rite', she has a ciggie permanently in her hand as she coaches the dancer.<P>In 'Victor' there is a scene where about 40 performers light up on stage.<P>When I go to the usually health and environmentally friendly Germany, I find that there is far more smoking than here in the UK.