critics

[Katecab99]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 4:39pm

Out of curiosity...

What qualifies an individual to be a working, writing theatre critic?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 8:01pm

That they write, and they're working? And get paid?

[jasonf]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 8:28pm

Apparently, nothing. I spent four years in school studying drama history, playwriting, structure -- all kinds of dramaturgical stuff only to find out that the job usually goes to a senior writer - whether or not they have any qualifications or not.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 8:46pm

Who they know.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 10:27pm

Ben Brantley wasn't even a senior writer. He had done entertainment features and movie reviews for Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and Elle magazine before joining the Times in 1993 as one of its theatre critics. He was elevated to head critic in 1996 after Vincent Canby retired. He had never written about theatre before joining the Times as a critic and had no background in it either academically (his degree was in English) or professionally.

Only a couple of the major critics in town (Feingold of the Voice, David Cote of TimeOutNY, John Lahr of the New Yorker) and maybe one or two others) had any actual, practical study or experience in theatre before becoming critics. Most were just regular general interest journalists or freelancers (several were movie reviewers). Which is why I always tell people to not take their opinions too seriously because few of them have anymore background than the typical tourist from Iowa.

There have been plenty of brilliant critics who also had no background specifically in theatre criticism (Brooks Atkinson, Frank Rich, sort of), but most really don't have the scholarship and knowledge to make their opinions any more valid than the average man on the street.

[safran]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 2:17am

On the whole, Margo, I agree with you. Although it is a little disheartening to hear that advice as I am specifically going to school to become a theatre critic. I generally advise my friends (the ones that care) to take into account the critics that most closely resemble their tastes. It'll give them the best advice on what to see...(although this is assuming one only uses critics as a "what to see machine" but I view that as only a fraction of what the critic's job truly is.)

[Katecab99]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 9:13am

lizzie, you're funny.

and i was unaware that there are college programs geared specifically towards becoming a theatre critic. interesting!