I hear you. But any writer worth his salt can craft a “review” to subtly convince the reader that the reviewer’s subjective opinion is the correct one. That’s fun to write, and it may even be fun to read, but it is of limited help to a potential ticket-buyer looking to have an enjoyable theater experience.
Sure, a “report card” review may be dull. But it can effectively communicate what is good and bad about a production.
In my view, reviewers/critics should have all the fun they want crafting deathless prose and waxing poetic about their own visceral reactions to theater pieces. But they owe it to their readers (and their publishers, and theater makers) to include a brief report card, as well.
And it wouldn’t hurt to include the tag line from the famous comedian, Dennis Miller: “Of course, that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.”
I hear you. But any writer worth his salt can craft a “review” to subtly convince the reader that the reviewer’s subjective opinion is the correct one. That’s fun to write, and it may even be fun to read, but it is of limited help to a potential ticket-buyer looking to have an enjoyable theater experience.
Sure, a “report card” review may be dull. But it can effectively communicate what is good and bad about a production.
In my view, reviewers/critics should have all the fun they want crafting deathless prose and waxing poetic about their own visceral reactions to theater pieces. But they owe it to their readers (and their publishers, and theater makers) to include a brief report card, as well.
And it wouldn’t hurt to include the tag line from the famous comedian, Dennis Miller: “Of course, that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.”