A Preview Comes Before the Premiere
A preview is an early showing before general release. In theatre, previews are working performances where the show is still being changed.
A preview is a viewing before the official opening. In theatre it has a precise meaning: previews are paid performances given before the press night, and the production is still being altered between them. Audiences pay less and, in exchange, may see something that changes the next evening.
- An advance showing. *A press preview.*
- A theatre performance before opening. *In previews until Friday.*
- A short extract advertising something. *A film preview.*
- To view in advance. *Preview the message.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | preview | A private preview. |
| Plural | previews | Two weeks of previews. |
| Verb | preview | Preview the changes. |
| Related | premiere | The gala premiere. |
| Related | trailer | A film trailer. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The exhibition holds a preview for members.Galleries.
- The show is in previews.Theatre.
- Preview the document before sending.Everyday computing.
Before an opening
- Preview — early performance or showing, still provisional
- Press night — when critics attend and reviews are permitted
- Premiere — the official first performance
- Private view — an invitation-only gallery opening
- Trailer — a promotional extract, originally shown after the film
A compound of *pre-* and *view*, first recorded in the nineteenth century. The theatre sense grew in the twentieth as shows began previewing rather than trying out in provincial theatres.
Should critics review a preview?
By convention no. Reviews are held until press night, because the production is still changing.
Why is a trailer called that?
Because early promotional reels were shown after the feature, trailing it. The name survived when they moved to the front.