Hi Judy - theatre's one of my thangs, certainly. I feel at home there,
even when I'm dodging brickbats.
And yes, it is "groan"... I get very tired of the whole
blogger/mainstream critic thing. I see on average about two -
sometimes three - plays a week through the theatre season, which can
get punishing. I guess it's also a bit different in Australia, since
many theatre bloggers are also mainstream theatre critics, me
included, so the question seems rather tired - I'm the Melbourne
theatre reviewer for the national daily here, the Australian, another
blogger, Chris Boyd, reviews for the Financial Review and the Herald
Sun, another edits a local weekly arts magazine, yet another is a
journalist on the Australian, etc etc. I write 400 word reviews for
the Oz, and on average 1200 word reviews for the blog, and in the blog
review many shows which don't get into the arts pages of the Oz. And I
like blogs because, unlike print reviews, what I write is available in
the archives all the time, and is easily accessible to anyone who is
interested. Which probably tells you all you need to know about the
difference between the two activities. I know which one is hardest
work!
I freelance for the Guardian blog pages now and then. It usually
elicits charming comments like "why are we reading about those
colonials in Orstrilia?"
xA
On Sun, Dec 7, 2008 at 1:55 AM, Judy Prince
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Alison, I'm playing 'catch-up', just read your smashing essay on Barry's
> *Ecstasy* in your Theatre Notes:
> http://theatrenotes.com/2008/08/on-ecstasy.html
>
> Really do feel that theatre's your 'thang', Ms A.
>
> As if, apparently, remembering that, I put in a last bit for you - and
> others - in this yesterday's comment to Groan [Guardian] online article on
> critics vs theatre bloggers:
>
> Dec 06 08, 5:23am
>
> Yes, indeed, definitely. May I present some further logic and then a
> proposal:
>
> 1) Bloggers're great, fine, and likely to be as astute, professional,
> thorough, backgrounded, and entertaining as paid critics----and as quixotic,
> odd-focused, ill-tempered, and 'out to lunch', as paid critics, as well.
> Blogs, yes, excellent, on the reasonable principle that more is better. But
> blogs do not have the grabability of a major newspaper. This and other
> newspapers [online or in print] draw readers in far greater numbers than
> individual blogs can.
>
> 2) Most theatre critics have not been Educated Properly for their
> role---which I find all the better for what they must do: see a lot of
> plays, do a lot of research, grow along with the growing theatre community,
> develop the long view that inevitably opens an impassioned observer to
> worthy, fresh work. They don't necessarily need a uni degree in any aspect
> of the theatre; they do need play-immersion out of sheer adoration for it,
> and they need A Life other than theatre.
>
> That said, even dedicated bloggers are few who would attend 12 plays a month
> for years, and for each play submit a review that's responsible, detailed,
> and helpful to theatre practitioners as well as theatre-goers. We have,
> then, the continuing need for newspaper-paid theatre critics. In fact, I
> propose the need for MORE newspaper-paid theatre critics.
>
> 3) We need more because we need to have more information. We need to hear
> the unheard gossip, be moved to visit less-familiar-to-us play venues, find
> out more of the techniques of playwrighting, acting, directing, scene-,
> costume-, lighting-, sound- and movement-design. We need to hear it from the
> folk who actually work in those areas. Hence,
>
> 4) I propose Guest Critics in addition to main critics. A different Guest
> Critic each month could be 'found' and tapped by the newspaper, or they
> could volunteer themselves by submitting several reviews to recommend them
> for the monthly spot. They could, as well, be from other countries reporting
> on plays they've seen in their native lands.
>
> Surely this newspaper in this nation can manage enthusiastic inclusion in
> its theatre criticism as well as in its theatres.
>
--
Editor, Masthead: http://www.masthead.net.au
Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
Home page: http://www.alisoncroggon.com
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