Setting up a performance space is a deep craft that is incredibly effective and affective. Even experienced entertainment pros think that we just gotta setup some chairs facing a platform and we’re good.
I recently did shows at a resort and the room was not set up right. I got there early and helped rearrange the seats so they were more conducive to a great performance. This made me feel more in showbusiness than anything else.
Here are a bunch of random thoughts…
We were constantly making tweeks to the environment at Boobietrap. Just little things that changed bigger things. Chairs don’t need to always be lined up straight. eg: If I showed up for a punk rock show and there were a bunch of chairs there, I’d be confused.
Audience needs to be close to the stage unless the performance is supposed to be removed like in opera / ballet.
If the chairs are secure and lined up straight, but the show is unhinged in some way or the doors at the back of the room are not closed, this makes the audience feel more uncomfortable than if the chairs are arranged more communally.
The stage usually needs to be bright and the audience dark. Bringing up lights on the audience, takes them out of sheep mode. It can be useful sometimes for more participatory entertainment, but not usually.
Having the audience be well lit just so the performer doesn’t have to deal with the bright stage lights is pretty crappy.
Temperature being low encourages a responsive audience. They won’t subconsciously feel like minimizing their activity like clapping and laughing.
Vents blowing on the audience, making the room breazy is destabilizing. Usually this isn’t helpful.
Low ceilings are usually better for comedy than grand rooms.
We usually want the whole audience close to the stage. The way to do that is make the front row as wide as possible. Performances in the round (like a circus) mean that there are more people close to the stage. This isn’t always practical of course.
Fog machines create volumetric lighting which can change a room a lot without more decor
Having more aisles for walking is good for convenience, but not good for proximity or audience members to each other. Also, if an audience member feels less like they could easily get up, it might be good to subdue them and get them in sheep mode.
The goal is comfortable enough. The goal is not comfort. This is entertainment.
Dirty, unkempt environments are destabilizing. Some performances need more authority, which can be developed thru focus on production quality.
Smells matter.
Try to avoid having glowing exit signs on stage.