I think some of it has to do with the type of theater fans that go to these early previews, excited to report back to others. Like they want to be some sort of theater influencer or something. I find that the eagerness to share their thoughts often results in hyperbolic praise, so by the time the rest of the fans & critics see the show the reaction is tempered & more muted.
I witnessed this firsthand during the second preview performance of Something Rotten on Broadway. The theater was full of young, impressionable zealous theater fans thanks to a $15.95 ticket promotion. At intermission the audience exploded & went crazy. The chatter was intense & hyperbolic. I witnessed a young girl in front of me dial her friend & breathlessly tell her that she just saw the first half of one of the greatest musicals ever written. A lot of that "buzz" was mirrored on ATC. Then after a week or two the enthusiasm was tempered with calmer, though still generally positive feedback.
I notice the same thing happens with film bloggers during festival season. I tune out a lot of the festival buzz b/c it's mostly bloggers either wanting to bestow a film as the next greatest thing or bragging about attending early screenings. I generally don't get excited for a movie until the professional critics weigh in. |
