Indeed, why? After all, it would seem that we can watch the same thing at home — on record, online, when it is convenient for us, and always being in the front row.
Strange question, isn’t it? We come to the theater or to a concert to watch a performance, to enjoy the performance of actors or musicians, the singing of soloists. But is this the only reason that motivates us to go to the theater, with the availability of large television screens and computer screens, on which you can watch something new every day, of your own choice, and besides, always be in the front row? Now imagine that you were at an interesting performance in a large, but almost empty hall. Of course, the actors will not be very comfortable in front of an empty audience, without emotional resonance with the audience. But do they need a crowded hall only for them? Wouldn’t you be sad and uncomfortable without an atmosphere of general interest and enthusiasm?
I didn’t have to be in that situation. But I remembered my feelings in a crowded hall, when I found myself on a completely different performance, if you can call it that. Many years ago, I witnessed the treatment of stuttering, which was carried out by a brilliant specialist, Yulia Borisovna Nekrasova. She gathered dozens of people in a large theater hall. These were relatives, friends and acquaintances of those few patients who were to begin the treatment process that evening.
Patients stood in one line on the stage, and after them one of those who had successfully completed the treatment earlier rose up. The audience listened to the recording of his former broken, stammering speech. And then he began to speak on his own, and spoke without signs of stuttering, easily and freely. The hall experienced a state of emotional upsurge and expected a repetition of this miracle with new participants. Against the background of this general enthusiasm, Yulia Borisovna approached the first one standing on the stage, performed several magical actions with her hands, as if under hypnotic influence, and then clearly pronounced some phrase and asked him to repeat it. And unexpectedly for himself, but in accordance with the expectation and emotional mood of the audience, the person easily repeated this phrase.
For me, and for anyone else who has come across stutterers, this has been particularly impressive because stuttering usually escalates in the presence of a large and unfamiliar audience. A person is afraid of compromising himself, waiting for the disappointment of listeners, their involuntary alienation or humiliating sympathy. He didn’t face it once. And that is why the release of his defect in front of a large crowd of people was so amazing for him and for the audience. But the audience, as in a good theatrical performance, is not just the audience. These are active participants in the whole action, and their role in the healing effect is no less than the role of the therapist himself (for this they were gathered in this hall).
Their empathy for those standing on stage, faith in success, enthusiasm are transferred to those who are on stage, support them and inspire them. The audience is no longer alien to them, they are with it in flight. And those sitting in the hall convey this feeling of flight to each other. When, after a well-pronounced phrase, the hall bursts into applause, this is not a ritual, not a duty of courtesy, not even just gratitude to the therapist. This is a manifestation of sincere joy for the patient — and for yourself, that you, along with everyone around you, were lucky to participate in this miracle. And your inspiration is enhanced by the feeling that everyone around you is in the same state. This session was only the first step on a long journey to healing. But this step was decisive. I would venture to assert that due to the feeling of unity of hopes and experiences, it was also a session of collective psychotherapy for all those present — not just those present, but actively participating in the action. You can share these experiences with others only in the auditorium, when you feel others nearby, but not in front of a computer screen. And I think that one of the important, although not often realized, motives for visiting theaters and concerts. But the performance itself should inspire …