More than you can stick a shake at

In a Q&A column by Ken Mandelbaum, he addresses the question of whether it has become standard procedure to give a standing ovation to any theatre performance with a resounding "yes". apparently it's been a trend since i was born, but not so much before that. apparently i was born into the wrong era, because i often find myself sitting while surrounded by a standing crowd. i don't want to be a grump, i just want to reserve something for the stunning performances i'm lucky enough to see. often i'll end up standing just so i can see what's going on, but i generally hold out as long as possible. unless, of course, i've just seen a particularly memorable performance and i want to let the actors know that -- then i'll jump up as quickly as anyone. but not every performance is brilliant, so not every one deserves the highest accolades. and a standing ovation is part of that sliding scale of feedback. no wonder casts seem confused when their show closes even tho they were getting standing o's every night!