Superfans

[partytentdown]

Jun 9, 2016 12:20:19 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Jun 9, 2016 12:05:39 GMT martello736 said:

Billy Elliot had a LOT of problems. And there's a lot of bitterness between fans and management as they had to shun a few Ruthie Henshall fans and a few genuine show fans in an attempt to urgently fix quite a huge problem with males over the age of 35 coming to stage door. But that's not my place to say.

So they had child actors coming out to meet these weirdos people at the stage door?

Box Office were under strict orders not to tell anyone which child performers were on each night.

[partytentdown]

Jun 9, 2016 12:15:41 GMT @baemax said:

Jun 9, 2016 11:41:20 GMT @caiaphas said:

I cringe when I see some of these older gentlemen, anorak hood up, clipboard at the ready, usually hanging around after Daniel Radcliffe or the like has been in something. Sometimes, I have wondered if some of them have actually seen the show... 

I'm pretty sure those aren't actually superfans, or any sort of fans, just scum looking to make a financial profit out of the actors' good natures.

This happens a lot - I often pass the autograph sellers lurking at stage doors before the shows have even finished. They have ringbinders full of printed photos and try and get the 'star' to sign as many as they can before they twig. Then they move up the road to the next theatre with a famous face...

[Jon]

Shows with child actors have to protect the children hence why they have to be overzealous with stage door policies, social media etc

My own limit for seeing shows, films more than once unless they are revivals or different production is about 3. I prefer seeing new shows and I think seeing something multiple times does lose its charm after repeated viewing but that's just my opinion.

[Deleted]

By the 10 show "superfan" definition, I am only a superfan of Wicked, but my list of shows I have seen at least three times are:

Wicked (12)
The Bodyguard (6)
Kinky Boots (4)
Made in Dagenham (4)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (3)
Gypsy (3)

I also saw Cool Rider twice in one day, which could suggest superfan-dom. I am seeing Wicked again next week and I can easily see The Bodyguard going over the 10 mark when it returns to London, as well as Kinky Boots. The next to hit 3 will probably be Les Mis or In the Heights.

[Peach]

Hmmm, I saw Shakespeare in Love 8 times including twice in one week (I'd seen a particularly depressing matinee of another show and needed cheering up so bought a spur of the moment ticket). Otherwise I'm not a repeat paying customer unless there is an interesting cast change.

I've seen stuff multiple times when working FOH though.

[shady23]

Jun 9, 2016 12:20:19 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Jun 9, 2016 12:05:39 GMT martello736 said:

Billy Elliot had a LOT of problems. And there's a lot of bitterness between fans and management as they had to shun a few Ruthie Henshall fans and a few genuine show fans in an attempt to urgently fix quite a huge problem with males over the age of 35 coming to stage door. But that's not my place to say.

So they had child actors coming out to meet these weirdos people at the stage door?

When Oliver used to run they were always very good at ushering the children through and saying no photos

[Deleted]

There have been two times I have seen Wicked twice in one week... Louise and Gina's final performance on the Saturday and then Willimijn and Savannah's first show on the Monday (if that counts as one week?) and also, whilst Gina and Louise were still there, I saw Wicked twice in one week because Marc McBride had a week on as Boq and I loved him in that role!

[Deleted]

Something else about Superfans of today... They always refer to actors by their first name a) like they know them personally and have their permission to address them in this way and b) like they expect all of us to know who on earth they are. I don't think I could bring myself to do this. And it's another reason I wouldn't want to be labelled "Superfan."

[shady23]

I have seen Wicked far too many times (67) and would say I am a super fan, but not an obsessive.I think there's a big difference

I don't have to run down to the theatre every time the fourth cover midwife is on

I have witnessed lots of what I would see as bizarre behaviour over the years. I really don't like the 'stand outside the theatre all day' thing. Pre stage door ing, between shows and then after. Baking things (why?) The giving of seemingly endless expensive presents (encouraged by twitter as they want a gushing online thank you now. A one in person no longer enough apparently...)

I go the stage door maybe a couple of times per cast to get a program signed and maybe a photo. Why you would want to go if not doing this, just going for a "chat", even though you were at the stage door yesterday. .. and the day before..... I will never understand it. They are not friends. This is a job! Perhaps performers want to get home and not have to have long conversations about that different note they did in the second number...

My most bizarre experience was not at a theatre but involved a super fan. In the days when players used to be allowed to sign autographs before matches at Old Trafford I saw a Ryan Giggs superfans give him a tie for his birthday and a cheque for £50!!! God knows how many tens of thousands he was on a week at the time. Would have loved to know the thought process behind that one! (I bet he cashed it!)

[Nelly]

Jun 9, 2016 16:21:09 GMT shady23 said:

Jun 9, 2016 12:20:19 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

So they had child actors coming out to meet these weirdos people at the stage door?

When Oliver used to run they were always very good at ushering the children through and saying no photos

I worked on Billy, it was most disturbing and don't get me started on the Billy forums. We used to have after parties when a Billy, Michael or Debbie would leave. These took place in the theatre after it was clear of audience and the 'fans' (read old men) used to hang about into the early hours of the mornings to say goodbye etc. All very odd. Of course they weren't doing anything illegal so it was very hard to actually deal with but they came up with clever ways to do it, distraction methods etc. 

And as noted earlier in this thread, everyone was instructed not to let anyone know who was on in advance. 

[BurlyBeaR]

Jun 9, 2016 16:51:29 GMT shady23 said:

 Baking things (why?) The giving of seemingly endless expensive presents (encouraged by twitter as they want a gushing online thank you now. A one in person no longer enough apparently...)

You mean taking buns round to the stage door?  And what sort of expensive presents? I mean, examples?

I'm horrified yet fascinated  

[Michael]

I've seen quite a few shows 10+ times:

Wicked: 126 (would've been somewhat higher if it wasn't for the current cast)
Rock of Ages: 47
Memphis: 27 (in 10 months - I'll definitely get to 50+ when (if?) it eventually tours the UK)
Book of Mormon: 22 (would've been somewhat higher if it wasn't for the current Elder Cunningham)
Avenue Q: 19
Legally Blonde: 18
Newsies: 14
Jersey Boys: 12

However, I don't consider myself as a super fan. I've never been to stage door - not even once - and have absolutely no intention of ever doing so. I don't know all/most of the ensemble's names (maybe just those from the 2 or 3 cutest girls). Heck, I'm not even on Twitter, so I don't follow anyone or get over-excited when some cast member likes a tweet. And I never scream, shout or whoop during a show. Actually, I'm pretty much normal (even though most people outside this board would consider seeing the same show more often than even once not normal).

[Jon]

Superfans do seem a sense of entitlement, when their favourite show closes, they want to go to the final show claiming it was them to kept the show ignoring the fact they likely were a small percentage of a show's overall audience

[shady23]

Jun 9, 2016 18:59:31 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Jun 9, 2016 16:51:29 GMT shady23 said:

 Baking things (why?) The giving of seemingly endless expensive presents (encouraged by twitter as they want a gushing online thank you now. A one in person no longer enough apparently...)

You mean taking buns round to the stage door?  And what sort of expensive presents? I mean, examples?

I'm horrified yet fascinated  

Very expensive jewelery and perfume seems to be the current favourite!

[Dawnstar]

Jun 9, 2016 12:05:39 GMT martello736 said:

I've seen a show 6 times in a week before (actually I also saw Showstopper 10 times in 8 days, but as someone pointed out, that changes), but only stage doored once.

That makes my 5 times in 6 days look almost restrained! And that was only because it was at my local theatre, I certainly couldn't do that in London. I too only stagedoored once, on the final evening (bad choice as they were doing their own get-out).

[talkstageytome]

I saw a girl a few years back give an ensemble member a pair of VERY expensive shoes! How? Why?

And then she wouldn't stop going on on Twitter about how she didn't think he liked them. clearly hoping for the afformentioned gushing thank you tweet.

[Deleted]

I saw The Boy From Oz 10 times over about 9 months. With most of them being over two week long trips. I was 19, I loved Hugh Jackman...what can I say?

I believe I've seen Rent 10 times or more, but in various productions across the years.

Nothing else (aside from when ushering) has ever tipped over the 10 mark, but I did see Avenue Q and Wicked twice in one weekend (seperate weekends) due to different groups of friends booking tickets for me.

I think as with anything there's a small minority of 'superfans' that give fans a bad name. I've written a book chapter (shameless self promotion) on Punchdrunk fans, the research for which conveyed to me just how charming and lovely a group of fans can be and how great it can be having other fans to enhance a theatrical experience.

Conversely it's an old cliche but genuinely some of my closest friends I know from being a fan of one thing or another.

[Deleted]

Jun 9, 2016 19:14:08 GMT shady23 said:

Jun 9, 2016 18:59:31 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

You mean taking buns round to the stage door?  And what sort of expensive presents? I mean, examples?

I'm horrified yet fascinated  

Very expensive jewelery and perfume seems to be the current favourite!

This reminds me of a well known performer who tweets every time she sees a piece of jewellery online that she likes, in the hope that one of her fans will buy it for her

I didn't realise there would be so much opposition to the word "superfan", there's several people who've said "I've seen said show a large number of times, but I'm NOT a superfan", I don't think the word on its own implies you're an annoying 15 year old, it's just a small section.

[Michael]

Jun 9, 2016 19:52:58 GMT talkstageytome said:

I saw a girl a few years back give an ensemble member a pair of VERY expensive shoes! How? Why? .

I find it even creepier that she knew his shoe size.

[Michael]

Jun 9, 2016 19:55:04 GMT martello736 said:

I didn't realise there would be so much opposition to the word "superfan", there's several people who've said "I've seen said show a large number of times, but I'm NOT a superfan", I don't think the word on its own implies you're an annoying 15 year old, it's just a small section.

At least for me, superfan has a negative connotation and also implies at least some sort of being annoying. Nothing wrong with "just" seeing a show (very) often.

[infofreako]

I kind of agree Michael. If i hear someone say superfan i think of someone who is there all the time and behaves as if cast members are friends etc.
I see someone like yourself with the big tally of trips to see Wicked as just someone who loves seeing the show.

[Deleted]

Some of these posts are an eye-opener for me... Jewellery, shoes, tweeting hints and thankyous...! Beggars belief! The whole fan thing is a lot creepier than I ever realized.

(Would be interested in reading your piece on Punchdrunk fans, emicardiff. I only discovered them recently with The Drowned Man. Telling some friends afterwards that I had been "privated" twice in the one and only performance I attended, I was met with gasps of disbelief, and told not to mention it to real fans as they would be terribly envious as some would almost kill for a private session! (Don't some actually pay for an after hours session?))

[Deleted]

Not sure I like the idea of "real fans" (because by extension the implication is you have to qualify somehow to be considered a fan of something, and that way snobbery and gatekeeping lie), but as a Drowned Man superfan myself, going by the thread definition of someone who's seen a show 10 or more times, I can say that yes, we'd be envious of your one-to-one experience, but the vast majority of us would also be delighted that you had one. You can have a great show without being singled out by any of the performers, but there's no denying that a one-to-one can tip the evening over from merely "special" to "unforgettable"; we know how much it means to someone to have that, and although we all wish them for ourselves, we rarely wish it at the expense of someone else's experience.

Re: after-hours private sessions. I know that higher levels of keyholder, which is the Punchdrunk version of friendship or membership, do sometimes get invited to events just for them, and they can be taken away from that for a one-to-one experience especially for them, but it's a lot less like prostitution of the actors than you make it sound.

[DuchessConstance]

One of my friends who works at the Royal Court has been complaining about Doctor Who fans hanging around being annoying, and Matt Smith's not even there yet.

[Deleted]

Jun 10, 2016 10:32:29 GMT DuchessConstance said:

One of my friends who works at the Royal Court has been complaining about Doctor Who fans hanging around being annoying, and Matt Smith's not even there yet.

That's fairy nuff. He is, like, one of the best Doctors ever.

Tennant to Smith is the best Doctor regeneration. And I am unanimous in that.