How Do You Talk About the Shows You Love?

Show-Score | By Samantha Dupler | Apr 20, 2016

When you think about the shows you love the most, can you pinpoint why you feel this way? Maybe it's because they're incredibly funny, like "Something Rotten", or stir up some deep emotions, as in the case of "Fun Home". We did some research of our own, and studied the words you use when you talk about great theater. In the process, we discovered some pretty interesting insights!

What we talk about when we talk about theater | By Show-Score

The word cloud above represents the top 35 words that all Show-Score members have used to describe their top-rated shows. And while some of them point to highly specific attributes, the most-used word might just be the most broad of all: "Entertaining".

Over 37,000 positive reviews have classified shows as "entertaining," with the second most-used word, "clever," used almost 24,000 times.

In some ways, it seems like a given that "entertaining" would rank so highly: if a show can hold your attention enough to enjoy it, that's certainly entertainment!

However, entertaining isn't enough. Your use of "clever" tells us that you want something for the mind as well as the heart, and when a show does both well, you've got a home run.

Some other words found in our top 35 are variations on the theme: "delightful" and "enchanting" as a proxy for entertainment, while "intelligent" and "thought-provoking" speak to your desire for mental stimulation.

However, some other words that made the cut include "epic," "edgy," "romantic," and "quirky," which just goes to show that there is no universal formula for great theater. Your tastes are diverse, and there's nothing we love more than hearing about them.