Just recently got called to task by some friends – at least they USED to be friends – who didn’t like the fact that I’d called out their play in a public forum. Got me thinking – and I’d love for the “real” critics out there (cuz I ain’t one and I know it) to offer their thoughts on this. What is your policy as far as reviewing plays that your friends are involved in? Do you just recuse yourself in those instances? Do you contact them beforehand and read them your review to soften the blow? Or do you just dig in and try and be as objective as you would normally be with any other play?
It’s a difficult situation. And in many ways it forces you to compromise your standards, I would imagine. I’m sure it might cost you friendships in certain situations. But I would really love to hear from you critics. How do you deal with this?
As a playwright I want everyone to see my play. Everyone and anyone. Enemies, friends, family, strangers, all critics, all supporters. I would probably challenge my friends – if they were critics – to come out and be as hard as they think they should be on what they deem to be the quality of my play. I would consider it an honor. Hell, I’d consider it a challenge to write and produce a better play. But that’s just me.
As I become more and more involved with this blog I realize what a murky world it is, the blogoshpere, between the public and the private, the published and the unpublished. I’m a playwright and yet contributing to Bitter Lemons and LA Stage Blog forces me into the world of pseudo-journalist and cultural commentator. A strange place to be. Truly.
Sometimes in my almost-militant need for objectivity I’m sure I can come off as cold and mean-spirited – and if I injure and offend it is rarely intended – but as I write and comment I continue to try and place MYSELF in the cross-hairs and ask how I would like to be treated. And the answer is always: objectively. Without prejudice. Without agenda. Without passion. Being human, I know this is virtually impossible to achieve, but as we comment on our theatre and those involved, I stand by my right to try and be a guardian for quality. How I see it. It’s all I really have. My word. My opinion.
I pledge to try and remain as kind and as fair and intelligent as I can possibly be. But I will not compromise my standards to make people feel better.
But I WILL apologize to those who might be hurt by that lack of compromise – and those that have already been hurt. This blogging remains a learning curve for yours truly. And so I will also pledge to try and remain as tactful and respectful as I can possibly be. It’s the best I can do.
Peace.
