Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died

[Yankeefan007]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#1

Posted: 11/19/08 at 10:10am

81 years of age, after a battle with liver cancer.

He was still reviewing dance (http://www.nypost.com/seven/10312008/entertainment/theater/flames_hot__fling_not_136087.htm) and theater as of a few weeks ago. His last published theater piece was a 4-star review of SPEED-THE-PLOW (http://www.nypost.com/seven/10242008/entertainment/theater/speed_your_way_to_revival_of_mamets_plow_134979.htm).

It's a very sad day for the arts world and arts journalism. Updated On: 11/19/08 at 10:10 AM

[Ed_Mottershead]

re: Word has it that Clive Barnes has died#2

Posted: 11/19/08 at 10:12am

Recent reviews in the Post have said that "Clive Barnes is on leave."

BroadwayEd

[ljay889]

re: Word has it that Clive Barnes has died#2

Posted: 11/19/08 at 10:15am

I hope not

[ljay889]

re: Word has it that Clive Barnes has died#3

Posted: 11/19/08 at 10:17am

Apparently he died this morning from liver cancer.


http://www.artsjournal.com/aboutlastnight/2008/11/tt_clive_barnes_rip.html

this is so sad.

[songanddanceman2]

re: Word has it that Clive Barnes has died#4

Posted: 11/19/08 at 10:42am

This is very sad news

Namo i love u but we get it already....you don't like Madonna

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

re: Word has it that Clive Barnes has died#5

Posted: 11/19/08 at 10:43am

Wow. This is very sad and very shocking news. My thoughts are with his family.

Review threads on here will never be the same.

[Yankeefan007]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#6

Posted: 11/19/08 at 10:53am

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/123488.html
Updated On: 11/19/08 at 10:53 AM

[jagfkb]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#7

Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:17am

Wow, did now expect that, whatsoever. You think the lights will dim?

[H.Higgins]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#8

Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:17am

This is so sad. He and his contributions to the theatre will be remembered.

Thought and prayers for him and his family.

[BustopherPhantom]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#9

Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:22am

Wow. How sad.

I always looked forward to his reviews: even when he was completely off the course, he was a fun and interesting read.

"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum

Updated On: 11/19/08 at 11:22 AM

[NYC_or_Bust]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#10

Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:26am

My thoughts too are with his family.

I can seriously say, when I would travel to NYC, I always liked reading his positive quotes on a lot of the Theatre advertising.

He will be missed.

I adore the black band holding on the Phantom's mask. ~ Jenna2

[Amalia Balash]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#11

Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:43am

What a sad loss. I didn't always agree with his reviews, but you could tell he loved the theater. I think dimming the lights would be appropriate.

[PalJoey]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#12

Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:50am

Exactly my thoughts, Amalia.

[StageFan2]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#13

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:00pm

You've said it all Amalia. RIP Mr. Barnes. Sympathies to his family, friends and collegues.

[jv92]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#14

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:04pm

Sad? SAD? Are you kidding me? He nearly killed the theatre while he was at the Times! I can hardly say I am saddened by his loss, though my thoughts are with his family and friends.
All I can say to the Post is DO NOT make Michael Riedel critic!

[LizzieCurry]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#15

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:11pm

Playbill.com has apparently deleted the story.

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

[jv92]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#16

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:18pm

Why? It seems pretty legit. Liver cancer? Was he a drinker?
BWW should add to their obituary that aside from his affiable smile (sp?) and grey hair, both true, he was also very fond of falling sleep at the theatre in recent years.
He WAS the only critic that outright loved Merrily We Roll Along. Let's give him credit for that.
I wonder what Hal Prince is thinking about all this. He and Barnes did not have the friendliest relationship. Barnes panned the first two Sondheim-Prince shows, loved Night Music, but simply loathed Pacific Overtures, a show Prince loved dearly and invested his own money in. He wrote Barnes a letter following the opening saying he had killed the show and how disapointed he was in his opinion. Barnes proceded to love On the Twentieth Century and Sweeney Todd, Prince's next two shows. Both were mighty entertaining, but I wonder if he felt badly about Pacific Overtures?
After he gave Light in the Piazza and Grey Gardens negative reviews in recent years, but proceeded to praise Spamalot, Young Frankentstein, Mamma Mia!, among other commercial, campy shows, I lost much respect for him. And he was also no great favorite of ANYONE'S in the 1960s. Until Hair came along, I don't think he gave any musical a possitive review simply because it did not have a rock score, which he felt all musicals should have had by that point. How wrong he was!

[LizzieCurry]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#17

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:23pm

It's back up now, and there's also a NYT article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/arts/dance/20barnes.html?_r=1&hp

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

[jv92]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#18

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:28pm

Just read the Playbill.com article. I have gained a little more respect for him after learning what he said about John Simon. When will that old crank die? I suppose the day Arthur Laurents does?

[Yankeefan007]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#19

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:34pm

He was also the sole critic who enjoyed CARRIE.
Updated On: 11/19/08 at 12:34 PM

[gvendo2005]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#20

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:35pm

Clive Barnes was...is a brilliant man. He will be remembered forever.

"There is no problem so big that it cannot be run away from." ~ Charles M. Schulz

[jv92]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#21

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:36pm

Ah ha ha! Interesting Yankee.

[muscle23ftl]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#22

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:42pm

The New York Post is crap, his section was the only good thing about that newspaper, he will be missed. I agreed with him more than with any other critic.
Im happy for whoever takes over his job. A great thrill to take over such a legendary critic.

"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one". -Felicia Finley-

[Yankeefan007]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#23

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:43pm

From the Post's obit:

"Even at 81, he was never afraid of the new, championing such recent plays as "A Catered Affair" and the rock musical "Spring Awakening," among many others.

But his undiminished enthusiasm did not prevent him from unleashing a caustic critique, when called for. Only a month ago, he cast a dim eye on "To Be or Not To Be": "Not. Definitely not," he wrote."

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11192008/news/regionalnews/longtime_post_art_critic_dies_at_81_139521.htm

[TimesSquareRegular]

Legendary arts critic Clive Barnes has died#24

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:54pm

Even though I disagreed with him many, many times over the years, this is very sad news.

I fondly remember a great discussion we had at the Edinburgh Airport (he was just leaving the festival, I was just arriving) when I walked up to him and introduced myself. We sat down in the coffee shop and chatted about the Festival for nearly half an hour until his flight was called. Later, I remember thinking that his suggestions on what to see and what to avoid were a lot more reliable than his NY reviews!

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