Best of This Week’s Theatre Blogs – 12 Mar 2010
In a week when theatre blogging became a news story in itself critic David Cote put forward the case for why professional theatre critics are still needed. Esther at Gratuitous Violins joined in the debate and considered what a decline in criticism is meaning for theatre outside of the mainstream.
Theatre blogging proved it isn’t only about theatre criticism, however, as Half Moon Theatre demonstrated blogging about how touring has changed their production of Begin/ End. Equally, the Black Country Touring blog became home to a particularly unusual theatrical experience as Kate Organ wrote about hosting a performance of Behna in her own home.
Finally, technology came to play its own part in performance as Real Fresh blogged about how social media is being used in Youth Theatre.
Guardian Theatre Blog, David Cote – Eliminate theatre critics at your peril
“But there will be no consensus, just a pullulating buzz of artists promoting shows, audiences offering their opinion, badly written amateur reviews, friends promoting friends, and maybe – just maybe – a few informed theatregoing bloggers whom we trust.”
Gratuitous Violins – Theatre Criticism and Serendipity
“But what about the small company just starting out? How does it get noticed? What about a theatre in a community where there aren’t a lot of theatre bloggers to pick up the slack?”
Half Moon Theatre Begin/End Blog – VJ Paul Hithersay reflects on how Begin/End has developed
“What really works for me is the amazing dynamic that has developed between these characters. I was hugely impressed by the way in which Amy and Rachel have worked together in making the relationship between Lilli and Yaz so believable”
Black Country Touring Blog – It’s My Kitchen But Not As We Know It
“As the afternoon wore on I crept down to see what they were up to and found that a kitchen cabinet had been installed and a picture of a son I didn’t know I had was now hanging proudly on the wall!”
Real Fresh Blog – Social Media meets Youth Theatre at Contact Manchester’s Contacting the World 2
“It was really cool to see the young performers take to communicating with each other via ‘Skype live link’ technology with such ease.”
