Examining the Variety of Contexts for Creativity: WP # 2.1.2

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how audiences choose between different theatreperformances and how they try to evaluate the quality. Especially the impact of professional reviewsis analyzed. The audience may use different quality indicators to evaluate the quality beforehand.These quality indicators can be either objective facts (such as the manuscript (title and author), thedirector or the actors) or subjective quality indicators such as professional review (e.g. innewspapers) or friends and relatives evaluations (word-of-mouth mechanisms). The paper willanswer the research questions based on econometric analysis using a unique dataset from the RoyalDanish National Theatre (offering theatre, opera and ballet) during the period 2004/05 to 2013/14,where data has been systematically collected. The paper will provide new and original researchabout the importance of mediators (professional reviewers) compared to word-of mouth mechanismon demand for theatre performances.