It has become a bigger part of life than we might have ever imagined, yet it is something in which we participate without giving it much thought. How are we part of the audience? What has that experience been like?

Robert Viagas explores such things in Right This Way: A History of the Audience, from before the days of ancient Greek theatre to our modern audience experiences.

The author explores not just the straightforward history of how audiences formed and the kinds of things they watched; he also considers how the desires of the audience shaped various forms of art and entertainment, how the audience’s understanding of religion and morality affected art and entertainment (and vice versa), the development and use of various forms of technology in captivating audiences, and the relationship between the audience and the space of performance. The behavior of the audience and the prospect of violence is also considered, as well as how matters of race, ethnicity, and gender shaped and were shaped by audiences and entertainment. The author also gave space to how various entertainers have given space for the audience to be involved in the expression of the art.

Since so much of our time is spent as an audience, it is good to consider what an audience is about and how we can well appreciate art as an audience. ( )