The result is pandemonium. I've had times when I had trouble getting off the stage. I usually can't get to the refreshment area. The number and variety of questions are overwhelming. The people exude appreciation for the talk.
Every presentation seems to be a unique and largely unpredictable experience.
Audiences range from sparse gatherings of a dozen or so to jam-packed rooms with people sitting on the stairs and standing around the margins. Questions range from ill-informed and frivolous to those with profound depth, and all must be treated equally. Then there's usually a certain amount of detailed nit picking and questions designed to publicly display the brilliance of the questioner. Lectures under these circumstances are my favorites. OK, OK, I'm a masochist.