Critiquing critics
We had a good show Thursday night. Still a very small audience, which was the biggest problem. I've noticed that the first show of a week is more likely to lack energy. Something about the break, or the typically small audience. I didn't see that last night, which really impressed me, and made me pretty proud to work with this cast.
We were reviewed by Misha Berson of the Seattle Times. I've not read many of her reviews because it seems they are generally for something at the Fifth Avenue or the Paramount, which in my mind tend to be touring productions, that come across as slick shows intended to please the TV/cinema oriented crowd. I don't think it is bad, on the contrary, as anything that brings people away from their home entertainment centers is a very good thing. Most of them just aren't my cup of tea, and pricey to boot. As such I wouldn't presume to critique them. It would be like a fan of slasher flicks reviewing a romantic comedy. I've seen it in those movie rating books like the ones BlockBuster sells. If you don't like the genre, it is nearly impossible to be fair or cogent.
Misha Berson has a reputation as one of the only theatre reviewers that knows stage left from a hole in the ground. I have seen some very inane comments over the years, which could make up a very long post all by themselves. She had a few cogent things to say about the show, which was refreshing after some of the reviews I've seen in the past. I felt the writing was pretentious while she was writing an essay on the story itself, rather than the production. Her biggest complaints with the production were driven by the venue itself and limited production resources. That is what fringe theatre is about. We don't get any donations from Allen, Gates, Boeing, or anyone you ever heard of. We don't make a living doing theatre, rather we live through it. I once again got the impression elaborate sets, props, costumes, and herds of stagehands are the most important theatrical criteria in her view. Overall it wasn't a bad review. It is just that it had the resentful feeling of a slasher movie fan forced to review a romantic comedy. I wonder if she'll be happier when we work out of the Bathhouse theatre in the future. Still, she is known as one of the better of the reviewers in the area.
The other papers had good reviews, but maybe I'm biased as they were very positive.
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Seattle Weekly
The Stranger's reviewer was there Friday, but that one hasn't come out yet. People that know him said he was laughing hysterically at the funny bits...
There is a group, TheatreSeattle.com that is awful. They review shows, but they are vicious in a cowardly and political way. I read a lot of their reviews last Fall during the Fringe Festival. I noticed they were always syrupy to the well-established production companies like the Intiman, Seattle Rep, and Seattle Shakes, regardless of the quality of the show. When they get to small or unknown companies, their venom comes out, though to be fair there occasionally is some correlation between the invective level and the quality of fringe shows.
It's okay to dislike a show. What I find unforgivable is being malicious, especially in their clever ways. For one I am not impressed by the attempt at being intellectually clever, it is just sloppy mental masturbation. (Eww, there's an ugly picture.) I decided to honor them with their type of comment, even if I couldn't quite match their meanness.
Someone told me it is done that way in New York. Big freaking deal. I've no respect for meanness done for the sake of being mean, and no desire to import it. The arts have enough of a challenge without that kind of atmosphere.
I wrote to the Intiman Theatre in response to another of their solicitations for a donation. They'd finally talked me into donating, which is impressive because I make a point of donating to smaller companies, especially those that serve or support children and teens. Then, I had a change of heart because they listed ThreatreSeattle's review for their show (Homebody Kabul). I told the Intiman I do not wish to legitimize that kind viciousness, not even second hand. The Intiman never responded. They are my favorite equity house, and it is the only time they have disappointed me in any way. I am still a satisfied subscriber, so they will continue to get that support. The donation I'd planned would have been a touch more, when Expedia's gift matching is added in.
Since I started writing this last Friday, we've had three more shows. Up till then our biggest house was ten or so. Over the weekend our smallest house was the Sunday matinee, where we had 22 people. The kinks are mostly worked out, and the bigger audiences keep making the show better and better.
We were reviewed by Misha Berson of the Seattle Times. I've not read many of her reviews because it seems they are generally for something at the Fifth Avenue or the Paramount, which in my mind tend to be touring productions, that come across as slick shows intended to please the TV/cinema oriented crowd. I don't think it is bad, on the contrary, as anything that brings people away from their home entertainment centers is a very good thing. Most of them just aren't my cup of tea, and pricey to boot. As such I wouldn't presume to critique them. It would be like a fan of slasher flicks reviewing a romantic comedy. I've seen it in those movie rating books like the ones BlockBuster sells. If you don't like the genre, it is nearly impossible to be fair or cogent.
Misha Berson has a reputation as one of the only theatre reviewers that knows stage left from a hole in the ground. I have seen some very inane comments over the years, which could make up a very long post all by themselves. She had a few cogent things to say about the show, which was refreshing after some of the reviews I've seen in the past. I felt the writing was pretentious while she was writing an essay on the story itself, rather than the production. Her biggest complaints with the production were driven by the venue itself and limited production resources. That is what fringe theatre is about. We don't get any donations from Allen, Gates, Boeing, or anyone you ever heard of. We don't make a living doing theatre, rather we live through it. I once again got the impression elaborate sets, props, costumes, and herds of stagehands are the most important theatrical criteria in her view. Overall it wasn't a bad review. It is just that it had the resentful feeling of a slasher movie fan forced to review a romantic comedy. I wonder if she'll be happier when we work out of the Bathhouse theatre in the future. Still, she is known as one of the better of the reviewers in the area.
The other papers had good reviews, but maybe I'm biased as they were very positive.
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Seattle Weekly
The Stranger's reviewer was there Friday, but that one hasn't come out yet. People that know him said he was laughing hysterically at the funny bits...
There is a group, TheatreSeattle.com that is awful. They review shows, but they are vicious in a cowardly and political way. I read a lot of their reviews last Fall during the Fringe Festival. I noticed they were always syrupy to the well-established production companies like the Intiman, Seattle Rep, and Seattle Shakes, regardless of the quality of the show. When they get to small or unknown companies, their venom comes out, though to be fair there occasionally is some correlation between the invective level and the quality of fringe shows.
It's okay to dislike a show. What I find unforgivable is being malicious, especially in their clever ways. For one I am not impressed by the attempt at being intellectually clever, it is just sloppy mental masturbation. (Eww, there's an ugly picture.) I decided to honor them with their type of comment, even if I couldn't quite match their meanness.
Someone told me it is done that way in New York. Big freaking deal. I've no respect for meanness done for the sake of being mean, and no desire to import it. The arts have enough of a challenge without that kind of atmosphere.
I wrote to the Intiman Theatre in response to another of their solicitations for a donation. They'd finally talked me into donating, which is impressive because I make a point of donating to smaller companies, especially those that serve or support children and teens. Then, I had a change of heart because they listed ThreatreSeattle's review for their show (Homebody Kabul). I told the Intiman I do not wish to legitimize that kind viciousness, not even second hand. The Intiman never responded. They are my favorite equity house, and it is the only time they have disappointed me in any way. I am still a satisfied subscriber, so they will continue to get that support. The donation I'd planned would have been a touch more, when Expedia's gift matching is added in.
Since I started writing this last Friday, we've had three more shows. Up till then our biggest house was ten or so. Over the weekend our smallest house was the Sunday matinee, where we had 22 people. The kinks are mostly worked out, and the bigger audiences keep making the show better and better.
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