Where do you like to prompt from?

[sam.henderson]

the prompt has been first row stalls

 

Does that not distract other audiance members when e/she is sat in the front row realling off cues??

 

SAM

[dominicgross]

Only if the prompt was used, which I don't think it was.

[robloxley]

Stage right or stage left - whichever has the prompt desk, cans, etc. - and if there's a choice then the side that doesn't have the view onto stage obstructed by a big bit of set.

 

As for prompting for forgotten lines, even when I did school and youth theatre there was a ban on prompts - the actor's job is to know the lines.

[Ellis]

forgetful actors can be made to wear earpeices

Give a turn who can't even learn their lines a piece of technology to break!

[Ike]

What are those things called that are usually seen more in american programs down stage centre? The on stage prompt box if you like.

[David]

As for prompting for forgotten lines, even when I did school and youth theatre there was a ban on prompts - the actor's job is to know the lines.

Did you also ban technicians fro missing Qs?

[robloxley]

As for prompting for forgotten lines, even when I did school and youth theatre there was a ban on prompts - the actor's job is to know the lines.

Did you also ban technicians fro missing Qs?

No, but they should be able to busk competently around a problem; likewise actors should be sufficiently able to ad-lib without needing a prompt. Other opinions may vary

[Spider_senses]

Just to be a pain I answered other, because I was looking for an all of the above.

I have done shows in Japan where most of there prompt desks are stage right (bastards all! By which I mean the venues!!!)

I have also done a Brecktian play "The Good Woman of Setchwan" where the director had me sit on stage DR facing US calling the cues in costume as Breckt.

And lastley I had an actor just go missing half way through the run of a show. We cancelled that night and hired a replacement for the next day. Emergency rehearsal, two runs, and the performer was almost off book. We converted our hearing inpaired system to be used as an in-ear prompt for that show. She was playing an old lady so it looked ok. She was completely off book by show two.

My experiance, actors hate to be prompted, they know it's them screwing up and looking bad.

[andy_s]

in my one and only experience (in 20 odd years of working) where a prompt was required and given, the DSM was calling from a standard PS position. This turned out to be the wrong place, as the actor concerned (now dead) was deaf in his SL ear, so couldn't hear the prompt. After two or three attempts, the actor left the stage, read the line over the DSM's shoulder, returned to centre stage and carried on after waiting for the round of applause to die down.

The moral of the story is - a good stage management team might have identified the potential problem and relocated the prompt desk to OP. for this specific production, if the facility to do so existed.

 

Of course, (see article on theatre jargon in last week's Stage) "Prompt Desk" is a bit of an inaccurate hangover from a byegone age.

[andy_s]

of course there's also the apocryphal story of the two actors in mid dialogue one of them dries - dsm gives the prompt. no response. dsm gives the line again. still no response. and again, until one of the despairing actors says "we know the b****y line, darling, just tell us who says it!"

 

( no apologies for ruining a perfectly good but very old joke)