Sydney’s Worst Theatre Critic

Theatre, almost by definition, is a forum for many voices. Doubtlessly, the following nominations will be much debated.

So, without further ado, here are the nominees for Sydney’s Worst Theatre Critic:

(drum roll)

Me.

Just me.

Why you ask?

After all, there are plenty of reasons I shouldn’t win:

• I’m not especially supercilious, pompous or arrogant.
• I don’t write too badly. (I assume potential theatre goers appreciate what language can do, so I make an effort.)
• I do try to give some reasons for my opinions.
• I don’t say nasty things and kid myself I’m being witty.
• I don’t forget that my opinions are simply that.

So why, exactly, have I won this prestigious and coveted award?

Well, firstly, I don’t do much evaluation, and if you don’t do that, you can’t claim to be much of a critic.

Secondly, and most crucially, I have the highly annoying habit of writing about my own ideas.

But wait, you say, every reviewer has their own interests. Call them prejudices if you want, but it’s unavoidable. Objectivity is a myth. Don’t, Veronica, be too harsh on yourself.

But I’m serious; I do write about my own ideas. I don’t attempt to sum up the production I’ve attended. I take it merely as a starting point. If a piece of theatre makes me think about, say, democracy, I write about democracy. Not what the play says about it, but what it leads me to think about it.

So I’m a terrible reviewer.

Maybe I’m not even much of an audience member.

Perhaps I think too much.

Veronica Kaye