Search

The article presets the views of several artists on the role of critics in theatre criticism. These include the views of director, playwright, actor, film director and Artistic Director of Ex Machina in Quebec City Robert Lepage, theatre director and Artistic Director of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival Brendan Healy, and award-winning multidisciplinary artist working in theme and opera as well as Artistic Director of Cahoots Theatre Marjorie Chan.

The article presents the reflections in writing of five participants of a round table discussion on the intersection of theatre studies and theatre criticism in Canada, as part of the 2015 Canadian Association for Theatre Research and Société québécoise d'études théatraâles conferences at the University of Ottawa. Participants include Hervé Guay, Laura Levin, and Peter Dickinson.

The article focuses on embedded criticism as a way of theatre criticism. Topics include meaning of embedded criticism, potential of embedded criticism within the context of understanding and appreciating the work that goes into the making of a play and the key factor enabling the spread of behind-the-scenes writing practices. The author's experiences as a professor guiding 3 groups of Brock University students through embedded criticism placements and as an embedded critic herself are reviewed.

The article presents statements from five educators in Canada that explain how they are creating assignments and designing courses that will refine the skills of their students in theatre criticism. These include the statements from Yana Meerzon of the Department of Theatre, University of Ottawa, Toby Malone of the Department of Drama and Speech Communication, University of Waterloo, and Tony Berto of the School of English and Theatre Studies, University of Guelph.

The article focuses on the question what would socially engaged, culturally responsive, and inclusive theatre criticism look like. Topics include conversations about what culturally responsive and/or inclusive theatre look like, necessary skills of the theatre critic, and how theatre criticism could do a better job of working with politically and socially engaged art. Three plays that the author says dealt with a social issue that was personally resonant to her are reviewed.

The article presents reports from scholars, critics and artists across Canada about the main outlets of theatre criticism across Canada, outstanding theatre critics in their regions and the relationship between mainstream journalism and the blogosphere. These include "Vancouver: Urgent Critical Response Needed," by Alex Lazaridis Ferguson, "The Prairies: Critics Dwindle Down to a Precious Few," by Stephen Hunt, and "Toronto's Changing of the Old Guard," by Martin Morrow.

The article focuses on the responses to the diversification of forms of theatre criticism, mapping terms, expectations and hierarchies that are defining English-language theatre criticism in 21st-century Canada. Topics include the terms of English-language theatre criticism including professional critic, reviewer and blogger, and the perceived rules defining contemporary Canadian theatre criticism. Websites exemplifying contemporary theatre criticism in Canada are also mentioned.

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses articles published within the issue on topics including how criticism can evolve and diversify and what roles it might play in the shifting landscape of theatre criticism, a socially engaged, culturally responsive and inclusive theatre criticism, and embedded criticism of Canadian theatre plays.

This article addresses the ongoing problem of limited perspectives in mainstream theatre criticism. I wonder what it might mean to have an ‘ignorant critic’ (based on Jacques Rancière’s work)—one whose aim is not to demonstrate his or her own knowledge but to help audiences find their own interpretations of performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article forecasts how theater criticism in Canada will change by the year 2030. It suggests that arts writing has become less common in mainstream media outlets while pay for theater critics has also declined. The author goes on to predict that critics will have to be more selective about what to cover and publish more content independently online.

Focuses on Urjo Kareda's opera criticism in Canada. Values as a critic; Support given to smaller companies mounting work under severe budget constraints.

Focuses on survival techniques for theater and the performing arts sector. Problems being faced by the sector; Redefinition of the arts; Identification of hindrances to the success of theater arts; Survival of Vancouver Moving Theatre from the public's criticisms.

Deals with the role of the journal "Canadian Theatre Review" in Canadian performing arts. Contribution of the journal to the discourse of Canadian theatre criticism; Concept of the journal; Cause of the contradiction between the journal's nationalism and internationalist aspirations; Issues discussed concerning Canadian theatres.

Interviews Australian playwright Louis Nowra regarding his work. Implication of recession for Australian theatre; Opinion on academic criticism of his work; Influence of American movies on his plays.

Focuses on the nominees for the Dora Mavor Moore Theater Awards in Toronto, Ontario in 1990. Differences between the Theatre Passe Muraille and the Tarragon; Criticisms received by the play "The Man I Love" which opened the Tarragon season; Plot of the play "The Two-Headed Roommate."

Focuses on the difficulty of using photographs of theater for documentary purposes or for the analysis of a performance. Difference between the material and semiotic concepts of a photographic image; Information on the communicational and critical uses of a photograph; Possibility of a metadiscourse in an image.

Looks at the situation of theatre criticism in Quebec as of 1988. Description of theatrical criticism; Criticism against the theatre journal "Jeu"; Role of theatre criticism with regards to advertising.

More than any other performing art, theatre encourages debate: no matter how modest the production or minimal the audience, somebody somewhere will talk or write about it. This lucky fact is apparent in the converage given theatre by weeklies such as Toronto's Now and Montreal's Voir, which have sprung up over the past decade in the footsteps of Vancouver's venerable Georgia Straight. To find out how these publications treat theatre, I have chosen a random month of coverage, March 1988, in all three. I also discuss Maclean's and the biweekly Montreal Mirror, but Now's newly spawned competitor Metropolis appeared too recently to get a fix on its editorial policy. In general terms, I've tried to define how the implicit constraints on these print media affect the editorial direction of their commentary on theatre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deals with the effect of the competition among theatre critics on the efficacy of their works. Details of an episode of the television series "Murder, She Wrote," featuring a critic who killed his rival; Definition of criticism; Social function of academic criticism.

Analyzes the problem facing the theatre criticism in Canada. Methodology behind the criticism; Discussion on the New Criticism practice of literary criticism; Highlights of reviews of the play "Hamlet-Machine."

Examines theatre criticism of Canadian drama. Reason behind the ignorance of theater critics of how professional theatre works; Distinguishing features of theatre reviews in the country, including sexism in theatre performances; Recommendations for an effective theatrical performance review.

Provides information on an educational program for theatre critics developed by the Ministry of Culture in Soviet Union for theatre schools. Main objective of the program; Topics covered by the program in dramatic criticism; Outline of the course of study for the program.

Examines the dramaturgical structures of several plays written by Canadian playwright Michel Tremblay. "Les Belles-Soeurs"; "Forever Yours, Marie-Lou"; "Sainte Carmen de la Main."

Presents news briefs on the theatre industry in Canada as of September 1979. Amount of grant given by the Canada Council to performing arts organizations in the country; Plan of the Toronto Drama Branch, an association of local theatre critics, to organize a major seminar on theatre criticism; Retirement of Sandra Fresco as publicity director for Toronto Arts Productions.

The article describes the career of Nathan Cohen as Canadian critic. He once claimed that he was Canada's only genuine drama critic and all the rest are reviewers. He was well known for his harsh reviews which prompted some artists and critics to detest him. Cohen always emphasized that he sought perfection in the theater. He would hate Canadians to be misled into thinking they are getting something good when it was not good.

The article presents statements that are excerpted from discussions on the issue of the formation of the theater critic during the annual meeting of the International Association of Theatre Critics held in Warsaw, Poland in 1975. According to professor Ingmar Holm of Sweden, the training of theater critics in Sweden is extremely heterogeneous. Selem Petar of Yugoslavia contends that Yugoslav critics tend to be quite conservative.

The article discusses the importance of the rapprochement between audience, critic and artist to the establishment of an art. Criticism is defined as an attempt to respond fairly, intelligently, honestly and analytically to a thing presented. Theater criticism usually involves casual, regular and professional viewers. A reviewer is a reporter and good theatrical reporting can be most valuable.

This article presents several commentaries about the Crest Theatre in Canada. The critics cited a number of productions performed by the theatrical company. They also commented on the goals of the Crest. Some critics applauded the contributions of the Crest to the field of theater in the country.

The article focuses on issues concerning the practice in Canada for city editors to assign a reporter to witness and write about a play. Such practice is regarded as an irresponsible method of developing theater critics, which resulted in a generally poor level of the art of criticism. In addition, there has been a growing complaints that regional theaters do not hire local actors and that they are not living up to their responsibility to Canadian playwrights.

Presents an article on being a playwright of African descent and the challenges faced in performing the theatrical production "Come Good Rain." Efforts to consider the possibilities of touring the play in different countries; Criticisms received by the play; Success of the play at the Dora awards in summer 1994.

Compares theatre reviews published in newspapers with that which are broadcast on the radio. Aspects of radio broadcasts which are remembered by listeners; Disadvantages of using radio as a medium to review theatre; Comparison of radio with television.

The article discusses issues related to the critical dilemma in Canada which is compounded by the inequities of reviewers who lack the background knowledge necessary to valid judgment and criticism. The declining stature of theater criticism is evidenced by the emergence of a few as artists in their own right like George Bernard Shaw. Canada lacks initiatives directed toward cultivating a complementary competent body of critics.

Features the drama critics criticizing the theatrical productions in Canada. Attacks of parliamentary reporter Daniel Morrison on the actors at the Royal Lyceum Theatre; Lessons learned by playwright Gina Mallet for being dismissive about nationalism in making criticisms; Description of writer Arthur Lismer on the mystical identity of the country.

Presents edited remarks from a conversation with Marion Andre, artistic director at Theater Plus in Toronto, Ontario. Commonly held belief among theatre practitioners; Views on theatre critics; Trends in dramatic criticism.

Introduces a series of articles about the way theater critics and artists consider words on stage, including a discussion of the attitude towards Shakespearean plays and their perception.

Introduces articles featured in a 1988 issue of "Canadian Theatre Review," including a discussion on theatre commentary in weekly entertainment magazines in Canada.

The article presents a letter to the editor regarding Chad Evans' study of the play "Murder Pattern."