The Stones, Mrs Brown, the Cripple and the Prof

IAM always fascinated at an event by the audience. If I am there I wonder who else it appeals to. The trip to The Rolling Stones was interesting last May. While there were no shortage of grey hairs, many of whom probably came on the free travel, there were also a lot of younger music fans. The Stones were in their heyday before some of these revellers’ parents were born, but there is something about seeing an act that has pulled huge crowds for half a century that makes them worth seeing. Mrs Brown’s Boys audiences have also fascinated me over the years. You used to see gangs of six or eight women out for a good night and ready to laugh like drains and have a few scoops. You still do see them, but now after the television exposure it is a much more mixed audience. People of all ages, many of whom would have said they wouldn’t be caught dead there a decade ago, are filling arenas night after night for a good laugh with a moral running through. And it is not just Ireland. I went to see them in Scotland and Glaswegians of all ages, shapes, sizes and sexes filled the theatre to the rafters.

Last weekend I went to two performances in Dublin and I am sure I was the only person who went to both. The first was The Cripple of Inishmaan. When you are coming to Dublin for the day you try to pack a lot in. I went to a matinee and was delighted to see that there was scarcely an empty seat in the house. Perhaps this is not surprising as it is as good a play, and as good a production, as you could wish to see, so I assume the word of mouth is strong. Unfortunately I have a habit of beginning conversations with people by announcing that I have two or three things I want to tell them. I do this so that I can tick them off in my mind and not forget anything. Anyone who has seen Phelim Drew’s fine performance will not be surprised to hear that I am now known as Johnnypateenmike by my matinee friends. Which brings me to the audience. I am not exaggerating when I say that there were not many people under 60 in the theatre. How is it that there were not throngs of people of all ages queueing up to see a great play by Martin McDonagh?

I would have thought that his film reputation might encourage a few non-theatre going twenty-somethings to have a look at this great two hours but some I asked did not realise the writer and director of Three Billboards... was the same person. That night I headed to the 3 Arena, which will always be The Point to me, to listen to Prof Brian Cox, one of my heroes, and his comedian sidekick, Robin Ince. I am a Radio 4 Infinite Monkey Cage fan. Try it. Who ever thought a physics lecture would fill 9,000 seats? But then who ever thought millions would watch The Great British Bake Off? We know nothing. The Brian Cox audience was the most mixed audience I have ever seen at an event. A fairly equal male/ female divide and every age group from teens to nineties there to learn about our universe.

While there was a screen, it really was primarily a physics lecture. I am disappointed that young people are not frequenting theatres. But heartened that 9,000 people spend a Saturday night learning about science and evidence. Croke Park next.