I think that general audiences who see shows after the reviews come out are generally affected by them. They expect to like something or not based on the reviews (or sometimes simply their knowledge or perception, without having read the reviews, that a show got good reviews or bad reviews). Of course, plenty of people still end up not liking something that they know got good reviews or, perhaps less often, liking something that they know didn't get good reviews.
I think that on ATC, however, most of the regular posters really are more independent in their thinking. Not all of us, but a lot of us.
And I don't think it's just folks on ATC who are independent in their thinking. I think in general people who are very serious in their theatregoing, people who see a lot, are less swayed by reviews. This is all speaking generally, of course. |
