Never Do This

Calling an art critic to complain about a poor review they gave you is almost always a bad idea.

If they reviewed your current work poorly the damage, assuming there was any, is done.

If you are venting in the hopes that they give your next work a more positive review then you have to wonder if a critic who is so easily swayed is worth bothering with in the first place.

But if you feel like you simply MUST talk to a critic after a bad review you should NEVER do what the leader of one of the largest nonprofit theatres in the country allegedly did, i.e. dismiss some of their comments as "stupid" or say that they are not really a "critic".

Why?

Because not only is bad form, you also give said critic all the ammo they need to do a blog post and let the world know about the encounter.

Look, I understand a bad review can deeply upset someone.  They spend months or years pouring their heart and soul into something only to see it beat up by somebody with a comped ticket and a note pad.

But lashing out doesn't improve the situation . . . in fact it can make it far worse.

Because the critic now has the power to blog about it.

Which led to me blogging about it.

Which will lead to others noticing it.

And thus a review whose power (assuming it had any) had long since expired is revived.

So as a general rule, leave the critics alone.  Your life will be easier if you do.

(to be honest I'm also wondering if the artist who called the critic would have been as aggressive if the critic was a "he" instead of "she" .  . . probably so, but it was something that popped in my head)

 

Comments

[Ed]

I'm astonished that someone that high on the Chicago theatre food chain would have a lapse like that. As PR and Marketing guy for my own company, when we have press come in I make a point of reminding everyone involved with the production that I'll do all sorts of horrible things to them if they communicate directly with any reviewer as a result of a negative review. Lashing out at a critic always backfires. The worst case scenario is what's unfolding now- what was simply one negative review among many, many reviews that theatre (and the production) has received is now a nasty story, a black mark on the theatre's reputation that can be spread around. Not quite a PR nightmare, but getting there. There is nothing to be gained by getting in a pissing match with a critic who didn't like your show! In my opinion the only time you should respond directly to a critic is to politely point out any major *factual* error in the review- and even in that case the call is better placed to their editor.