Why do we clap in the theatre? You would have thought it was obvious. We clap to show our appreciation, and of course the better the show, the louder we clap. But according to science it's not quite ...

There is a new trend lurking on the theatrical horizon – and it is not one whose arrival fills me with any joy. Like so much in our entertainment culture – such as standing ovations almost as a matter ...

Simon Callow on the role of applause, from an early form of mass media in Ancient Rome to its reinvention in the tech age. The story of how we liked things before we 'liked' things. Show more Simon ...