Laura Benanti on people not clapping at the theatre

Yes this is what I do and every one else in the theatre does. You clap after every song, that's what has happened at every show I've seen! It's fair enough Laura having a go, I would be aannoyed too. It's not exactly hard to clap. 

As as for standing ovations, we've never done it during a show. Only at the curtain call at the end if the show was amazing, there is a dance section where audience stands at the end of when the star of the stage come on for bows. The only time audience members have clapped when a star first enters the stage is for Imelda Staunton in Gypsy. 

The quoting is messed up, I replied to george

ETA-thank you BB! Im on my phone and its all html

It's not hard, but why should anyone if they either didn't really think it was that good, or just prefer to keep their applause for the end?

They should be allowed to do that without being "applause-shamed" by the likes of Benanti, Hope-Fletcher or Margolyes.

You'd be annoyed if you had a 1000 people in a theatre clapping, a Tony nomination and rave reviews, yet you had just ONE person who didn't clap? Would it really mean that much to you if one person didn't enjoy your performance or had arthritis? No, it isn't hard to clap, but that's not the point. The point is, you can't force someone to. I've always clapped, even if I haven't liked a show, but I always feel really awkward doing so.

Not as disappointed as the punter who paid 70 quid to see you and didn't think you were worth it. 

People confuse quality with taste, not clapping poor quality is fine but not clapping for a job well done, but which was not to your taste, is egotistical. Think of it like a meal at a restaurant, if it's badly cooked complain, if it's poorly served don't leave a tip, if you ordered something and you've realised you don't like it then it's your mistake so blame yourself, not the ones who cooked and served it perfectly. You bought the ticket, they did their job, you didn't like it, applaud them and make better choices in the future.

I'd argue that the audience member doesnt really choose the perfomance/perfomer they're going to get...
I agree that not clapping because you got an understudy in place of someone you wanted to see, and the understudy is fantastic and you choose not to clap simply because x star wasnt performing- would be off an uncalled for, also booing understudies is a thing that happens and its gross.
But again, a performance can be good by one persons standards, and not by anothers, and thats fine- the people choosing not to clap over prefrence are so few if any- why focus on it?

ETA their arguement, if I can borrow your analogy, was that even if the food is poorly cooked you should still compliment the chef (beyond the money you pay for the meal)

Other than the fact that the actors attention should be to stay in character, not searching the audience for who is clapping and who isnt, I think actors should go in to the buisness knowing/assuming not everyone is going to praise them endlessly/love them/ agree woth them unconditionally. Actors get panned in reviews and torn apart by gossip channels. That one person who doesn't clap just doesn't strike me as insulting. I'va had peopld disagree and criticize my work (hell I worked in a job here lives were on the line and disagreements with those above you could result in jail time, not joking, I was close), and my mindset, on the non critical things was- live and let live... I assure you I was never applauded or thanked at the end of a work day, and am completely fine with that, because I was content with the work I was doing, I felt like I was doing a good job and I was, moreover it was a job I couldnt stand.

They love their job (I think) and ARE getting praised for it- stupidly so... I don't know I'm really fixating on this aren't I? and I said I'd stop ><
Alright Im moving on sorry!

When applause becomes merely convention it loses its meaning. One should clap when it is deserved and not clap if completely undeserved. If a performer sings a powerful song but does not get the expected applause then they need be professional and examine the cause as to why they did not 'connect' with that audience at that time as the audience may be giving useful feedback. Maybe the song delivery not so good on that occasion. Maybe it was not the singer's fault and the sound system was poor or the balance all wrong - could the audience actually hear the singer properly? And so on.

Speaking of convention, I went to a Willard White concert at the Inner Temple. It was a posh do and it seems that at these one does not applaud each number - after each song there was just silence.

Exactly fossil. It's like standing ovations, they happen more and more and mean less and less.

You're stronger than me. I end up standing just so I can see.