OOC and IC knowledge

This thread on hidden adventure background and how to get it across has me thinking again about how much players know as opposed to characters, and how that affects play. I often include cut scenes, such as showing what the villains are doing (briefly and not in too much detail) while our pulp Adventure! heroes are away, but like all tools in the box there’s a time and a place, and a lot depends on how players respond. They may be keen, or less keen, and some will start metagaming like crazy - for good or ill.