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No More Secrets?

Tue, 11 July 2000, 11:27 pm
Grant Malcolm23 posts in thread
Maybe it's because I've managed to personally avoid the wrath of the bewhiskered one, but i've not been entirely unappreciative of the commentaries posted under the pseudonym "Secret Squirrel".

I'm not sure whether i find his/her nasty remarks any more or less pleasing, illuminating or fulfilling than some of the occasionally fatuous "the show was fantastic. i loved it" comments that pepper this message board.

Certainly the first couple of commentaries on Butterflies Are Free and Bumpy Angels appeared to be at least partly considered and thought out. The most recent message really seemed to be plumbing the depths of bile though.

I'd like to encourage Squirrel to keep writing critiques - under your real name. You don't need to own up to who you are, that's not my point. I just can't help feeling that if you posted under your own name, you would take a little bit more time rephrasing some of the hasty, nastier things you have said. Not that you should cut out the critical comments, but that you might give them at least a light dusting of icing sugar to help them go down. It would be much harder for people to dismiss you out of hand if you weren't so dismissive yourself. People would still hear your criticisms, but would take them on board more readily if they sense that you have made an effort to understand their difficulties and you share their passion.

Finally, if you really can't find anything positive to say, perhaps it's better to say nothing at all?

Cheers
Grant

RE: No More Secrets?

Thu, 13 July 2000, 02:41 pm
Gary, to my mind (and the minds of those who organize and compile the Finley adjudicators score sheets) a review is only one person's reaction or opinion to a show. I'm a Finley adjudicator myself and on the bottom of the sheet where we make our comments on the production and forward it to the company involved there is a sentence which states: "Please note that these comments are my own personal reaction to the performance I attended on the date shown".

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