Day 3 – Enlightened Criticism
Posted on | December 10, 2009 | 6 Comments
In keeping with my post of yesterday, I want to continue the conversation about conversation, although in a completely different arena.
In one of my many current incarnations, I am a theatre reviewer. I even have a site dedicated to small theatre in Los Angeles called LA Theatre Review. The discussion came up in our last editorial meeting (there are five other writers who contribute to the site) about what a review actually is. My conviction is that a review, a critique of any piece of art, is a conversation. I wrote a long piece about it for the site, so I won’t go into all the details here (you can read it there) but it seemed pertinent to the current conversation about writing.
As I have said many times, art is meant to be shared, and in being shared, it is meant to be discussed. The conversation between friends after going to a gallery or a theatre or movie house is, for me, almost as exciting as the actual gallery show, play or movie was. Those conversations are enlivening, energizing, inspirational. And often very, very funny. It fosters bonding on a very deep level.
So what is a review or critique? Consumer advocacy? A chance to sell tickets (or books, or canvases, etc.)? A description of the plot, or picture? Well, yes, I think a good review can include all of these things, but what I really think a review is is a conversation between the reviewer and the audience members who have seen or will possibly see the piece. Often, criticism in itself is an art. There are compilation of criticism that live longer than the original work of art, because the conversation is so intelligent, well thought out and entertaining. My mother used to subscribe to the New York Times Book Review insert. Not the whole paper, just that section. She read it cover to cover. Almost never bought the books discussed, but loved the discussion.
Analyzing a piece of work, expressing what effect it had on you, looking into the possibilities it opened up for you, inspired for you, is very a very exciting process to do for the critic and to read for the audience.
At the risk of self-aggrandizing, go read the piece I wrote about this on the site. It’s on the top page. At the risk of repeating myself, let’s start a conversation about art!
~Geoff Hoff
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6 Responses to “Day 3 – Enlightened Criticism”
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December 10th, 2009 @ 1:53 pm
Hi Geoff, this is really well said:
“I really think a review is a conversation between the reviewer and the audience members who have seen or will possibly see the piece.”
I believe many reviewers forget this!
Greetings,
Claus
December 10th, 2009 @ 2:09 pm
Claus, I get really annoyed at some reviewers, especially the ones who put themselves on a pedestal and write “Consumer Advocacy” reviews, ones that say, “I’m the expert, if I say it’s good, go see it, if I say it’s bad, don’t bother.” Those reviews really, really annoy me. Can you tell?
The other two types that annoy me are ones that simply describe the plot and nothing more, no analysis at all, and the reviewers who simply praise everything and start sounding like they’re paid advertising.
Okay. I’m starting to repeat myself!
December 11th, 2009 @ 12:17 am
Good stuff- wish my critics had your ethics.
Keep ‘em coming.
December 11th, 2009 @ 1:01 am
Thanks, Pat! Just wait until tomorrow. That one should ruffle a few feathers.
December 11th, 2009 @ 2:47 pm
There are two different definitions for critique. I find that most critics have the wrong definition.
The correct definition means CRITICISM. Which means: the art of evaluating or analyzing with knowledge and propriety works of art or literature.
A good critique always peaks my interest.
Sheila
December 11th, 2009 @ 3:01 pm
Sheila, never heard quite that definition but I wholeheartedly agree. I will copy that and use it because it encapsulates what we’re trying to do on our review site. Did you get it from somewhere that I need to attribute, or is it yours (in which case, I’ll attribute it to you)?