Then, when I saw my name near the top, I started shaking uncontrollably.
Thursday, September 24, 2020
A critic responds to criticism: on being mentioned in the 'Living Document'
Then, when I saw my name near the top, I started shaking uncontrollably.
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6 comments:
I think this writer brings up a lot of good points about some things I have been thinking about as well. The idea of criticism being a two way street is something new to me that I have not really considered much before, but it makes sense. It has to be a dialogue otherwise the words of the critic really do become irrelevant. I think any critic who is not open to criticism themselves is honestly failing at their job. Also this critic’s initial response to the idea of changing how critical writers are hired is understandable, but it is also part of the problem. We, as white people, have got to stop being defensive when we get called out for racist practices or actions. We have to seriously listen to and consider what people are telling us and ask how we can change to be better theater artists and anti- racists. We all have a lot to still figure out, but that is the point. We are all guilty of racist behaviors, because that is the system we have been raised in and in many cases is the only system we know. It is up to us now to ask how we can change this system and what we can do to make this world a better place.
Oh I’m so glad this made it onto the greenpages. I’m really glad this critic decided to write this piece, even if I do find it a little self centered. If this person is a critic, then you would hope that they are good at dealing with criticism, considering they hand it out often. This critic is noticing something that is very true -- we need to be training our critics and we need to be prioritized bringing BIPOC critics to shows that they can understand in the way that white people cannot. It’s unfair to have a critic review a piece that they may slash because they miss the nuance. That is the importance of training people to see nuance. I really appreciate this critic's ability to investigate her own inner problems and her ability to be vulnerable and adapt to criticism is really what we need to see worldwide. However, I will say that even though these articles have been written, the Chronicle has still yet to respond to being called out by WSYWAT.
I am unsure how to feel about her response to being called out in the BIPOC Experiences in Bay Area Theatre. Like, I get that she understands why she was called out and what she needs to do to be better but…. Well, like Ella mentioned, her response is sort of self-centered in a way.
There is also talk here about ‘training’ for critics. Where do critics get trained? I assume in college a lot of that training would come from English courses? Or courses in general that are geared towards analyzing works from different writers and artists? I think that this sort of stuff does not get taught easily once you are out of school, so I think here we are talking about reforming how the education system teaches us about race and art created by BIPOC artists.
Looking at the BIPOC Experiences Google Doc, a lot of criticisms are about her not understanding the BIPOC experience…that’s not really something you can teach, but maybe it’s something that can be taught to appreciate/understand? Also, though, I think there are some things people outside of a cultural group will not understand, so maybe it then just goes back to making these types of jobs accessible to all so we can have a diverse group of critics to review work of different people.
I appreciate that the author in the article is recognizing her faults, but I find that this article lacks anything other than an acknowledgement. I also understand she may feel territorial or possessive over the job that she earned, but just because more BIPOC must be hired does not necessarily mean she is in danger of losing the job she is already established in. I like that she is reflecting on her past and changing some of her ideals, but once again, the article is only about that. I understand that she is only one person, but she only discusses her impressions of the movement. I wonder what, if any, actions she is taking to ensure that she does not end up on a list of racially insensitive critics again. I just personally feel like something is missing from this article, and this only comes off as a first step toward her journey of healing her mindset; therefore, maybe she should have taken more time to self-educate, and more actions toward racial justice in the critic field before writing this article.
I found this article very interesting. After hearing the situation I think it is very strong of the writer to make a statement regarding the document in which they were mentioned and not just ignore it. I believe it is right for people to be held accountable for their actions and behavior from the past to make sure that they do not have a pattern of disrespect in the future. I think our thought process will forever be changed and we will always strive to create antiracist environments in all aspects of theatre. I find the dichotomy of theatre criticism quite interesting. On the surface level most people think that theatre critics and stuffy snobs who just hate everything normal and praise random abstract theatre. Although theatre critics can represent a trust system. I know for myself, that i agree with certain critics more then others and so I will usually go to them first instead some I haven't heard of.
I’m glad I read this article, even if I did find it a little iffy. The things she is saying are fine. They don’t really contain any of her personal action items. She claims she is going on a “journey” and leaves it at that. But it's still all well and good for her to be discussing this. The thing that just irks me a little, to echo some of the previous comments, is that the article seems a little self serving and performative. No one demanded that she “speak out” about this. She simply took it upon herself to write an article about how this movement affected her. Which kinda makes me feel like she is missing the point. Maybe this article might help other people who have been “called out” change their mindset. But it seems more likely that she just wrote this because she felt she had to. Maybe I’m out of line in saying this. Something just doesn't sit completely right with me.
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