"Engaging Audiences" provides an insightful introduction to spectatorship from the perspective of cognitive studies. Using performances of several plays and a wide array of scientific evidence, McConachie examines the dynamics of conscious attention, mental concepts, empathy, emotion, and culture in theatregoing. This ground-breaking study challenges many of the current theories used to understand spectators and is a valuable resource to artists and scholars interested in how and why audiences enjoy performance.

"Engaging Audiences" provides an insightful introduction to spectatorship from the perspective of cognitive studies. Using performances of several plays and a wide array of scientific evidence, Bruce McConachie examines the dynamics of conscious attention, mental concepts, empathy, emotion, and culture in theatre-going. This ground-breaking study challenges many of the current theories used to understand spectators and is a valuable resource for artists and scholars interested in how and why audiences enjoy performance.