Claquers
What does 'Claquer' mean and where does it come from?
The Claquer were an organized body of people who, either for hire or from other motives, banded together to applaud or deride a performance and thereby attempt to influence the audience, especially during competitions. As an institution they date back to ancient Greece. Under the Roman Empire claques were common in the law courts as well as the theatre. In the 16th-century a French poet, Jean Daurat would buy up a number of tickets for a performance of one of his plays and distributed them gratuitously to those who promised publicly to express their approval. In the 18th century they created an organisation of claque, and opened an office in Paris for the supply of Claquers. It became a regular institution. The manager of a theatre sends an order for any number of Claquers. They would usually work under an elected leader a chef de claque, whose duty was to start the demonstration of approval or disapproval, depending what they were hired to do. The Claquers had different roles – there were the Commissaires, those who learnt pieces of the play by heart, and drew the attention to the audience to its good points between the acts; the Rieurs who laughed loudly at the jokes; The Pleureurs, generally women, who feigned tears, The Ticklers who kept the audience in a good humour and the Bisseurs who simply clapped their hands and cried “bis, bis” to secure encores.
Claque Theatre and the Claquer
Claque Theatre is a reinvention of the ancient Claque - by our definition they are members of the community who participates in the play either as rehearsed performers or audience members. In a Claque performance the audience and actors mix in a shared promenade space. The stories and ideas that make up the play are pulled from the community and the distinction between public and player are often blurred with actors in the auditorium, the audience can get caught up inside the action. The Claquer is invited to add their voice to the making of the play, participate in the research and debate the play’s themes as it is being created. The plays give individuals an opportunity to explore the history and contemporary issues of a place. Claque is inclusive, as a true community is inclusive.
Become a Claquer
Email us and ask to become a Claquer and you’ll get put on our mailing list, receive e-letters, invitations to join the play’s research and script making debates, receive early information and discounts to the plays, audience and performance workshops and events. There are also various ways you can participate in some of our parallel projects.