Would you rather go to a play or a movie?

Word is out that Singing in the Rain will be touring Australia throughout 2016 and 2017.

You might remember the brilliance of Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor from the 1952 classic.

There is always going to be a debate between those who love live theatre and movies on the topic of which one is better.

You might consider theatre productions to be outdated and outdone by the technological efficiencies of movies. Or you could be one who believes the mass production of film delivers little more than substandard plots, excessive special effects or gimmicks to draw a crowd.

Both have the potential to achieve remarkable levels of quality and both have the power to affect their audiences in intensely personal ways, despite the differences in method.

There is an unpredictability with live theatre that is difficult to replicate with films on screen. With a stage performance there is a chance that no two shows will be exactly the same. There is also an opportunity for actors to adjust their performance based on the mood of their audience, whereas actors in movies don’t get that same interaction.

In film perhaps what you see has been carefully (and heavily) edited and while this refines the overall product to ensure it has maximum appeal it might also reduce the level of spontaneity. Film also has the advantage of being able to beautifully and realistically create the worlds you view on screen, achieved by either filming on location or through clever use of special effects.

Whichever one you prefer is of course down to personal taste.

Does live theatre offer something you can’t get watching a movie? Which do you prefer?