Performers know that they must deliver what is expected by their audience if the are to get the applause they hope for.

The thing is, it works the other way round too: the audience will place the performer in a role which he or she doesn’t intend. They might even see the performer as a guru or saviour, for example.

The tricky thing about this is that, unwittingly, the performer can fulfil expectations by becoming what the audience expects.