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Interval Announcements


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Posted

I recently mentioned to one of our stage management team that the interval announcement exhorting the audience to get out of the bar should say "please return to your seats as the performance will continue in 5 minutes" whereas she says "please take your seats as the performance will recommence in 5 minutes".

 

My argument being that we were about to do Act 2 and not start again with Act 1. She took it somewhat personally and is now bombarding me with dictionary definitions which mostly seem to apply to war recommencing.

 

Has anyone else come across this and do you use a different version which would keep us both happy (and get the punters back in on time)?

 

We may have to look at installing a buzzer instead...

Posted

Use a loud buzzer/ bell, people sometimes can't hear/ ignore announcements in the bar.

Cheers

Gerry

Posted

I recently mentioned to one of our stage management team that the interval announcement exhorting the audience to get out of the bar should say "please return to your seats as the performance will continue in 5 minutes" whereas she says "please take your seats as the performance will recommence in 5 minutes".

 

My argument being that we were about to do Act 2 and not start again with Act 1. She took it somewhat personally and is now bombarding me with dictionary definitions which mostly seem to apply to war recommencing.

 

Has anyone else come across this and do you use a different version which would keep us both happy (and get the punters back in on time)?

 

We may have to look at installing a buzzer instead...

 

I'm with 'continue' rather than 'recommence'.

Posted
Sorry, I'm with BELL the five and one minute bell has been usual for some years. In the bar people are ignoring speech they don't want -it's how you converse in a loud area.
Posted

I've heard both, and recommence is more suitable for a posher event, while continue works fine for everything else. However, is this a sleep loser?

 

Personally, I'd do whatever the FOH manager feels is best.

Posted

Oddly I'd disagree with Paul. At posher events I suspect you are more likely to find pedantists all of whom will quote the Oxford "Begin or cause to begin again". The same people who shop in Waitrose who campaigned on ten items or fewer, rather than ten items or less!

 

Edit to add: I do agree with Paul that it's hardly something to lose sleep over!

Posted
Thinking back a few years to when I had to last make announcements I went along with "Ladies and gentlemen the 2nd act of this evenings performance will begin in 5 minutes". I too won't be losing sleep to find I did it wrong.
Posted

Assuming that you don't go withthe bell, what sounds better in the bar over chatter?

Stuff grammar. Clarity of the message in a noisy environment is better

Posted
I tend to go with "L&G Act 2 (3/4/5) of this evening's performance (or show name) will commence shortly, please take your seats", though I'm mostly working single act shows at present.
  • 6 months later...
Posted

I'm in the recommence camp. but depends on the gig and the voice of your DSM.

but not really one to loose friends over!

Posted

Our pre-recorded announcements go with "Bydd y perfformiad yn parhau mewn tri/dau/un munud".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Or 'continue' in the English version http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Posted
Both are technically correct, but "continue" is more likely to be understood. Using clever words doesn't necessarily make your meaning clearer.
Posted
I use some pre-recorded spiels intended for home cinema use, that I bought years ago, probably being used in violation of its copyright. It uses an authoritative American voice, which jars nicely in sunny New Zealand. The phrase used is: "Ladies and gentlemen, the show starts in x minut(s)", fed to auditorium, foyer and green room. All done with a timed cue-list, of course.

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