REVIEW: The Window (Adelaide Fringe)

Another interesting review, this time on the live-action and multi-media engaging play 'The Window'. Its been the recipient of a number of awards both here and abroad, and is being showcased at the Adelaide Fringe starting February 23rd. Check it out! REVIEW: The Window, Adelaide Fringe http://tinyurl.com/36tz3w

This is a publicity release not a review.

If you haven't worked it out yet, this is merely someone at Arts Hub's idea of drumming up some free marketing/interest for the site. Also, the reviewers are usually their members, which means anyone and everyone can write a review and submit it to AH. As far as I am aware (and my sources are very reliable), the reviewers are not paid for their writing; only offered free tickets to the show. Mini-monster puppets customised just for you! at Puppets in Melbourne

Na: That was me when I couldn't log on. I'm sorry but what that is is just a publicity release and that is false representation. All it does it say how good the show will be when it's in Adelaide without commenting in any substantive way on the artistic elements of the show. I'm probably a bit sensitive at the moment though. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

Well, blame the 'reviewer'... they're probably given some materials to work from, and like I said, anyone and everyone can review for them, which means quality/quantity isn't exactly the same across the board. Arts Hub does have forums and a 'your say' page now, so if you're unhappy with it, leave them a comment. Mini-monster puppets customised just for you! at Puppets in Melbourne

All our reviews are written by people out there across Australia who demonstrate a passion for the arts. Some of these people have a desire to pursue a career in writing but the majority are just people who want to take a more active interest in the arts/culture scene. Many of our writers are people still at university, or simply those who want to have a voice about what they are passionate about (in this case - theatre). We aren't elitist in the sense that we only employ professional writers - anyone and everyone can feel free to offer their reviews/write-ups on anything out there in the arts/culture scene, and as such, we are always on the look out for more contributing writers. David Dalton Digital Media Coordinator Arts Hub Australia dave@artshub.com.au

If you paid your writers, you might actually get something half-decent, not a rehash of a publcity release

Yes, but we like to give opportunities to people who are willing to write and have a genuine passion or familiarity with the Arts. Employing a batallion of professional writers both excludes opportunities for other perhaps un-noticed talent to get their first step in the industry, and believe it or not, arts industry specific professional writers are quite thin on the ground. Employing professional ghost writers with no familiarity to the theatre world, may also end up with an article appearing as nothing more than a press realease rehash as an end result. I imagine, if you are on the Theatre Australia forums, then you must have a vested interest in the Arts. So if you, or anyone else reading this thread, would like to contribute to future articles, then by all means drop us a line direct. David Dalton Digital Media Coordinator Arts Hub Australia dave@artshub.com.au Arts Hub forums - visit www.artshub.com.au/forum and wax lyrical!

I think you missed the point David - and that is that the person whose show this review is based on, would have rather have had an actual critical review, than a rewrite of their media release. We don't take issue with using volunteers - all of the reviews posted on this site are written by volunteers - but that the standard of reviews is perhaps not the best, and that improvements could be made to encourage your volunteers not to base their entire review on the media release of the show. I'd be happy to come up to the office and discuss further. Mini-monster puppets customised just for you! at Puppets in Melbourne

Sounds remarkably like someone typically expecting writers to work for nothing, as is all too common an occurence.

I worked as a writer too for very little money. Ditto, with film and doco making, with barely enough to cover the expenses of film stock, equipment hire etc. You wouldn't be choosing the arts if you wanted to be wealthy - I'm sure we can all agree on that. Arts Hub is still a relatively small operation - while we can't afford to pay all our writers, we can certainly give them other incentives such as free tickets to shows, events, etc. Its not a lot, but then again, we're not asking a lot in return either. I hate being put in the position of having to defend Arts Hub, as I agree whole-heartedly with many of you who have commented on this thread already. I wish we were able to pay a lot more to writers, and did have a lengthy list of talented writers to pick and choose from who could turn out excellent reviews at the drop of a hat. And I wish our standard of journalism was a notch or two higher, and had a larger following as a result, so we could consider ourselves a legitimate media player in the Australian creative Arts industry. This is definitely something I want to drive us toward, but it will take time, and we will need the support of those both in the arts to do so, such as yourselves. Part of our recent strategy of late, of which I am doing my best to implement, is to get out there and find many more people both impassioned and knowledgeable about the arts, and able to write excellent and engaging stories. This isn't just limited to theatre, but will include film, bands, festivals, exhibitions etc etc, and hopefully will be features, profiles as well as reviews. So don't think I was being tongue in cheek when in my last reply on this thread I put out a call to all potential writers or contributors to contact me - as it is most definitely a genuine ask. And from the responses of some of our reviews of late, perhaps we could bring in some new blood and lift the quality a bit. And as an end-note, if you are only going to continue ragging Arts Hub and/or this thread, without offering anything constructive to say, then please, withold your comments. David Dalton Digital Media Coordinator Arts Hub Australia dave@artshub.com.au Arts Hub forums - visit www.artshub.com.au/forum and wax lyrical!

First of all I had no intention of ragging Arts Hub. My point about what was put on this site labeled as a review was a piece of quite competent writing which was obviously a rehash of a publicity release written by someone who as far as I could tell from the article had not seen the show. I repeat this is a publicity release not a review and should have been labeled as such on this site. The problem as far as I am concerned lies not with the quality of the writing but the identification of a puff piece as a review. I am sorry if you choose to take this as an attack on Arts Hub. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au