Reviewing people you know
Tue, 27 Nov 2007, 12:04 pmDazzaB30 posts in thread
Reviewing people you know
Tue, 27 Nov 2007, 12:04 pmHey Everyone,
I've got a question that I would like some opinions on. I have recently written a review of a show that I saw. Quite a few of my friends were in the show and my review has been questioned because I know some of the people involved. (My review is located in this thread if you want to read it - http://www.theatre.asn.au/theatre_reviews/paris ) My situation however is that I live in a relatively small community and therefore I know quite a few of the people invovled in theatre around here. As such, it's difficult for me to find a show in this area that doesn't have at least a couple people that I know in it.
My question is then this: Is a person incapable of writing a balanced, un-biassed, constructive review of a show that involves one or more of that person's friends?
I personally don't think this is the case. Quite often my friends ask me for my opinion because they know I will tell them honestly. I do hold to a philosphy that there is no point in being mean when giving feedback - all that does is shatter confidence. BUT I will always be honest, and if this means telling someone (including friends) that I didn't think some work they did was good, I will, however I will focus on how to improve that aspect as opposed to just saying it was bad. Is that biassed? I personally don't think so, but I would love to hear what other people have to say on the matter.
Hoping to get lots of feedback
Darren
Who you know
Mon, 10 Dec 2007, 08:07 pmThanks Darren, I'm pleased you found my opinion worthy enough to quote.
Personally, I love Marcie's suggestion of pretending you already know everybody you mention.
And I just wanted to add to that thought: our theatre world is a pretty small community, really. If you don't know someone NOW, there's a bloody good chance you WILL know them later, if both of you stay in the game long enough.
In three years time, that struggling performer I'm writing about now could quite conceivably be billed above me in a stage or screen production, or even auditioning and potentially employing me.
Any justified criticism in the review I write today will be water under the bridge, and we will have both moved on and learned from the experience.
But if I have written something today that causes them embarrassment or to lose respect for me, then that will be far harder to surmount in future collaborations. People have long memories for that sort of thing!
It's not the opinion you hold, but whether you express it with dignity and perspective, that will earn you present and future respect.
(...why am I starting to sound like Confucious at the end there?)
Cheers,
Craig
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