Not a day goes by without someone, somewhere grinding their axe on a theatre production. This can be in print or more recently, in online criticism. Equally, theatre workers diss the critics, especially when their production has been less than favourably treated.
The issue of the quality of play reviewing is of sufficient interest we would have thought, to garner some commentary. However, this poll on the quality of theatre criticism wasn’t well responded to in terms of numbers, and we wonder whether or not there is a general malaise or simple disinterest (by this small – but niche – readership at least) about the issue. It also opens up another poll which we’ll release soon; this one on what makes for a good piece of theatre criticism. But to the results of this poll …
Clearly the quality of play reviewing varies here in Australia and elsewhere, and the results show this; perhaps this wasn’t a good option to put – seems far too obvious. No respondent thought the overall standard to be ‘Excellent,’ but a quarter of all respondents thought the quality of play reviewing in their locale to be ‘Awful.’
One comment: Pandering, uncritical and written as if the “critic” is looking for friends
Check out QSE’s training program which continues throughout the month.
Play-briefing Thom Pain Queensland Theatre Company at Bille Brown Studio (Monday). Writer Will Eno in attendance.
After more than 10 years at the helm, Michael Gow, the Artistic Director of Queensland Theatre Company has declined a further contract with the Company, and is leaving to pursue freelance writing and directing. The announcement was made jointly today in a media release by Mr Gow and Dr Kate Foy, Chairman of the Board.
Michael Gow has noted how much he enjoys running the Company, and that he was honoured and excited by the offer of a further contract. However, he added ‘after an intense period of reflection,’ and ‘a growing need to get back to myself as a writer,’ he had ‘sadly declined’ to continue in the state theatre company’s top job.
Kate Foy noted the Board’s natural disappointment at Michael’s decision, but that it understood and supported his decision completely. ‘The Board has been delighted with Michael’s performance during the past ten years; he’s been a fine leader, and a hard-working and visionary Artistic Director.’ She noted Mr Gow’s programming boldness and the many initiatives he has brought to the Company during his period as AD. She went on
The Company’s writing development and education programs are not always as visible to the general public as is its mainstage work, but the success of these significant developmental initiatives under Michael Gow, as well as his other achievements, has meant that his tenure as Artistic Director will undoubtedly be seen as one of enduring importance in the development and maturation of Queensland’s theatre.
Mr Gow will program the major part of the 2011 season, and continue his relationship with the company as a freelance artist.
Dr Foy noted that the Company will be looking to appoint a new Artistic Director by the middle of the year. It will be an open recruitment process, and is anticipated to take up to five months.
Artistic Director Michael Gow announces he will leave Queensland Theatre Company in August after more than 10 years. He will pursue his career as a freelance writer, director and will retain his association with the Company in this capacity.
UPDATE Nov 2011: Greenroom used to collect reviews into an index at the beginning of our time here i.e., when other groups and companies were not making it quite so easy for people. A couple of years on social media has really taken a grip and it’s not hard to access online versions of play reviews i.e., from those big media companies who bother to publish them on the web as well as from independent arts writers and bloggers. Indeed, there is far more writing about the arts in general now that we have so much free space in cyberspace. The issue of quality? Ah, well, another can of worms there.
Greenroom suggested last year – after the results of a poll on whether or not theatre workers read reviews – that another poll on the quality of theatre reviewing might be in order sometime. Perhaps it’s always time to mull over such a thing – but that time is surely right now at the start of a new theatre season here. Theatre reviewers around the traps have flexed their fingers over keyboards and let rip with their take on the new and older shows like Hamlet and The Little Dog Laughed which have opened this month in Brisbane at the city’s two full-time professional companies. Play reviews posted to blogsites generally allow commentary, and readers – who may or may not have seen the plays being reviewed – are letting rip in return with their opinions on well … just about anything.
Michael Billington (Guardian) and Charles Isherwood (New York Times) – both distinguished reviewers – have also blogged on the business of being a play critic. I particularly like Billington’s little piece from earlier this week on what you need to be a theatre critic. There are four points that he makes, and they’re worth a look – I’ll let you click through and read for yourself. Isherwood, in a Q&A post to his readers puts it this way
Maybe the best analogy is to consider us aesthetic referees – calling ‘em like we see ‘em. That is the ideal anyway. My responsibility is to write honestly, and (I hope) with eloquence and understanding and maybe even passion about what I see.
But, it’s time for that poll. Here’s your chance to say what you think poll-style. It’s open for two weeks, so have your say and share it round. The results will be published here when the poll closes.
And, just in case you didn’t know, Greenroom does its best to gather all reviews into an index here on site. You can find links to online published reviews and blog commentary by clicking our home page calendar during a play’s season; you’ll find links there to all shows entered in the calendar and the reviews we’ve ‘captured.’ Just follow the links to their originating sites. To save you the trouble this time, here they are for La Boite’s Hamlet, and here for Queensland Theatre Company’s The Little Dog Laughed.
Not a day goes by without someone, somewhere grinding their axe on a theatre production. This can be in print or more recently, in online criticism. Equally, theatre workers diss the critics, especially when their production has been less than favourably treated.
