Why Do We Give Standing Ovations? The Surprising History of the Curtain Call and Theatre's Greatest Compliment

From Shakespeare's actors dancing after tragedy to audiences rising to their feet in appreciation, some of theatre's best-loved traditions have fascinating stories behind them.

If you've ever been to the theatre, chances are you've experienced the same familiar ritual.

The lights begin to brighten. The story has reached its conclusion. The audience erupts into applause as the cast return to the stage for their bows. Sometimes the clapping continues until the performers come back for a second or even a third appearance. On particularly memorable evenings, people begin to stand, row by row, until the entire auditorium is on its feet.

We rarely stop to think about why we do it.

Why do actors return to the stage after the performance has already ended? Why do audiences applaud for so long? And why has standing become the ultimate sign of appreciation?

Like so many traditions in the arts, the answers stretch back hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of years.

The Origins of the Curtain Call

Despite its name, the curtain call did not begin with a curtain.

To find its earliest roots, we have to travel back to Ancient Greece, where theatre first flourished around the fifth century BC. Open-air amphitheatres had no grand velvet curtains to separate performers from the audience. Instead, when a play came to an end, the actors simply remained on stage to acknowledge the applause.

The performance may have been over, but the relationship between audience and performer continued for a few moments longer. It was an opportunity to recognise the people who had brought the story to life and for the actors to acknowledge the appreciation of those watching.

Although it wasn't called a curtain call, the basic idea already existed.

Shakespeare's Theatres Didn't Have Curtains Either

The tradition continued into Elizabethan England.

If you visited Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London around 1600, you wouldn't have seen a curtain closing at the end of Hamlet or Macbeth. Public theatres of the time were open stages, with very little scenery and no front curtain.

Instead, once the final scene had finished, the actors stepped forward to bow to the audience.

Sometimes they even performed a lively dance known as a jig.

To modern audiences that sounds almost unbelievable. Imagine watching one of Shakespeare's darkest tragedies, only for the cast to break into music and dancing moments later.

Yet this was entirely normal. Theatre audiences expected to leave entertained, and the jig offered one final moment of celebration before everyone went home.

How the Curtain Call Got Its Name

The tradition we recognise today developed much later during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when indoor theatres became increasingly popular across Europe.

These new venues featured elaborate front curtains that could be lowered at the end of a performance.

If the audience applauded enthusiastically enough, the curtain would rise once again so that the actors could return to the stage and bow.

Quite literally, the audience was calling the performers back after the curtain had fallen.

This is where the phrase "curtain call" comes from.

Originally, these extra appearances weren't guaranteed. A curtain call had to be earned through the audience's response. If the applause wasn't enthusiastic enough, the performance simply ended.

Today, most professional productions include at least one curtain call as part of the evening. It has become an expected conclusion to almost every theatrical performance, but the tradition still reflects its original purpose. It is a moment of gratitude shared between audience and performers.

When Audiences Wouldn't Stop Clapping

The nineteenth century saw the rise of celebrity actors whose popularity rivalled that of modern film stars.

Well-known performers were often called back to the stage repeatedly. Contemporary accounts describe audiences applauding for twenty minutes or more, with actors returning for multiple bows before the crowd finally allowed them to leave.

In opera houses across Europe, it was not unusual for singers to receive several curtain calls after a particularly moving performance. Occasionally, an aria would be so well received that audiences demanded an immediate encore before the opera continued.

These traditions helped reinforce the connection between audience and performer, reminding everyone that theatre has always been a shared experience rather than a one-sided performance.

The History of the Standing Ovation

If the curtain call is theatre's thank you, then the standing ovation is the audience's highest compliment.

The idea of standing to show admiration can be traced back to the ancient world.

Roman audiences were famously expressive. They applauded loudly, shouted their approval, waved pieces of cloth and sometimes stamped their feet to celebrate performances they enjoyed. Public displays of enthusiasm were encouraged, particularly during grand spectacles.

The standing ovation we recognise today, however, developed much later.

By the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, theatre etiquette had become far more formal. Audiences generally remained seated throughout performances. Standing was reserved for exceptional moments, making it a powerful gesture.

Remaining seated meant, "I enjoyed that."

Standing up meant, "That was something special."

Over time, rising to your feet became one of the greatest compliments a performer could receive.

Why Do Standing Ovations Spread So Quickly?

One of the most fascinating aspects of the standing ovation has little to do with theatre and everything to do with human psychology.

Researchers studying audience behaviour have found that standing ovations are not always purely individual decisions. They are often influenced by the people around us.

A study carried out by behavioural scientists and published in the journal Nature explored how standing ovations spread through an audience. Using mathematical models alongside observations of real audiences, the researchers found that people tend to make a quick judgement based on two factors.

The first is their own opinion of the performance.

The second is the behaviour of the people sitting nearby.

If enough people around us begin to stand, our own threshold for standing becomes lower. Even if we were initially planning to remain seated, seeing rows of people rise can encourage us to follow.

The researchers described standing ovations as a form of social contagion. Once enough people stand, the action spreads naturally through the theatre, much like a ripple moving across water.

Importantly, this does not mean standing ovations are fake or insincere.

Instead, it highlights how humans are social creatures. We naturally look to others when deciding how to behave in shared public spaces. Theatre is a collective experience, and our reactions are often shaped by the atmosphere in the room as much as by the performance itself.

The study also suggested that audiences have different personal thresholds. Some people are quick to stand whenever they enjoy a performance, while others reserve standing for truly exceptional productions.

When enough of those early standers are scattered throughout the auditorium, they create the momentum that eventually encourages everyone else to rise.

A Shared Moment Between Strangers

Perhaps that's why standing ovations can feel so emotional.

For a brief moment, hundreds or even thousands of strangers silently agree that they have experienced something worth celebrating.

No one is asked to stand.

There is no announcement telling the audience what to do.

The applause simply grows until the entire room seems united in appreciation.

It becomes one final act in the performance itself.

More Than Just Taking a Bow

Another detail many people overlook is the order of the bows.

In most productions, supporting performers appear first, followed by featured roles, principal actors and finally the leading performers. The entire company then returns together for one final bow.

The sequence reflects the collaborative nature of theatre.

While individual performances may receive special recognition, every production depends on the work of actors, musicians, stage managers, wardrobe teams, technicians, designers and countless others working behind the scenes.

The curtain call celebrates them all.

Theatre's Oldest Conversation

The next time you find yourself applauding at the end of a performance, take a moment to appreciate the tradition you are taking part in.

The curtain call has evolved over centuries, from actors acknowledging applause in Ancient Greece to the carefully choreographed bows we see today.

The standing ovation has become theatre's greatest compliment, shaped not only by outstanding performances but also by our instinct to share moments of joy with those around us.

Every round of applause is part of a conversation between audience and performer that has continued for more than two thousand years.

Long after the final line has been spoken and the curtain has fallen, that conversation reminds us why live theatre remains unlike any other art form.

It is not simply about watching a story unfold.

It is about sharing an experience together, then saying thank you in the oldest language theatre has ever known: applause.

This article is part of our Art History Essentials weekly topic on our podcast Pain in the Arts. You can listen to our Podcast here.