Scent in the Context of Live Performance

Abstract

Ambient smell has long been a feature of live performance, no matter whether its presence was intentional or not. While, once upon a time, the incidental presence of malodour was an inevitable feature of proceedings, the deliberate use of scent can actually be traced all the way back to the earliest rituals. This review attempts to trace the long history of scent’s use in processions, pageants, and, most important, performance. From Shakespeare’s time onward, scent has been used as an atmospheric/ambient cue. It has been used to create a certain mood, to trigger memories/nostalgia, and, on occasion, it has also served a narrative role. While the use of scent has often been merely illustrative (or pleonastic), there have been numerous occasions where olfactory stimulation has taken on a far more important evaluative role, critical or otherwise. Most often, this has been in the theatre, but also on occasion in the context of the opera, musical, ballet, and comedy too. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in scenting live performance/entertainment, especially in the context of highly immersive and experiential multisensory events. While high-tech solutions to scent delivery have been a prominent feature of its use in the cinema, low-tech solutions have more often been incorporated in the live-performance setting. This and a number of other important differences between scent’s use in the theatrical versus cinematic setting are highlighted.

Scent in Motion: On the Multiple Uses of Ambient Scent in the Context of Passenger Transport

“…For example, just imagine how much more pleasant it would be to drive through the forest if your nostrils were stimulated by the scent of pine, say, or perhaps the wonderful smell of the earth just after it has rained (geosmin does a pretty good job in this regard). At the same time, however, research from the world of entertainment has highlighted how, unless the scent is chosen very carefully, that ambient pine scent is more likely to remind whoever smells it of a cleaning product, rather than bringing them closer to nature (Spence, 2020d(Spence, , 2021b, even when the source object (e.g., a pine tree) is clearly visible.…”

“…At the same time, however, it should be noted that olfactory priming effects have not always proven so easy to replicate (see Smeets and Dijksterhuis, 2014 , for a review). There is also a separate line of empirical research, and hence potential opportunity, to use scent functionally to enhance the passengers' multisensory experience/nudge to engage in more prosocial behaviors (e.g., Schiffman and Siebert, 1991 ; Gueguen, 2001 ; Spence, 2002 , 2021b ; Holland et al, 2005 ; Liljenquist et al, 2010 ; De Lange et al, 2012 ; Henshaw et al, 2018 ), while at the same time possibly also improving their mood (e.g., Warren and Warrenburg, 1993 ; Spence, 2020c ). Finally, it is worth noting how a pleasant scent was introduced onto bus services and mass transit in Singapore the hope that it might help nudge more people to use public transport (cf.…”

The scent of attraction and the smell of success: crossmodal influences on person perception

“…As well as its role in boosting the wearer’s self-confidence, fragrances are sometimes also used to help people get into a particular mood/state of mind. Relevant here actors have, on occasion, anecdotally reported how they sometimes wear a particular fragrance in order to help them get into the role that they are playing (see Spence, 2021b ). For instance, according to actress Alla Demidova, the actor Vladimir Vysotsky brought bottles of Parisian perfume to spray on them before performing (as Ranevskaya and Lopakhin, respectively) in The Cherry Orchard (Alipaz, 2015 ).…”

Scenting Entertainment: Virtual Reality Storytelling, Theme Park Rides, Gambling, and Video-Gaming

“…There has been a long history of people trying to introduce a scented element into cinema entertainment (e.g., see Gilbert, 2008;Spence, 2020b, for reviews) as well as a range of other live-performance settings, including the theatre, opera, and so on (see Spence, 2021a, for a recent review). For decades now, ambient scents have, on occasion, also been incorporated into museum exhibits and art galleries too (e.g., for a review, see Spence, 2020a), as well as in other entertainment venues, such as theme parks including the Epcot Centre in Florida (Lukas, 2008) and Disneyworld in California (Mack, 2014).…”

“… 2 Note that this review will not cover scent’s use in the setting of the museum/art gallery (see Spence, 2020a , for a review), nor its use in the cinema (see Spence, 2020b , for a review), nor live-performance settings either (see Spence, 2021a , for a review), given that these topics have recently been reviewed elsewhere. …”