University of Virginia Library

Big Meanie

The critic always seems like a
big meanie when he tears a
production or performance to
pieces. Yet, as Real wrote in a letter
to the Progress after his dismissal,
"I believe a reviewer who
uniformly praises all is not doing
his duty to the public. The best any
critic-reviewer can do is bring to
bear what theatrical experience or
knowledge he may possess and
write it down. His is always merely
one man's hopefully intelligent
opinion and the public should feel
free to make their own judgment
(italics mine).

This last sentence says two
things about drama criticism which
people tend to forget. First, reviews
are based primarily upon subjective
criteria. If you disagree with a
critic, this does not mean the critic
is wrong any more than it means
you're wrong. It's simply a
difference in tastes, expectancies,
or even backgrounds.

And secondly, too many
potential theatregoers expect to be
spoon-fed by a critic. A review is
not some godly proclamation that
commands you either to go or not
to go to a particular production.
Use your own minds, read between
the lines, see if the critic's tastes are
similar to yours. No critic has ever
asked for his readers to agree with
him all the time; but he does ask
that his opinion be respected.