55 stories by "Chris Wilkinson"
Does art have health benefits, and can you consume too much of it? Bloggers chew the fatShould art be improving? That's what Isaac Butler of the Parabasis blog wants to know. He's responding…
Mamet's latest book hones his attack on 'brain-dead' liberalism, to the delight of one blogger " and dismay of everyone elseIf there is one thing everyone knows about David Mamet these days,…
Arnold Wesker is back " and being welcomed in the blogosphere as the perfect antidote to the brashness of youthDoes British theatre have an unhealthy obsession with youth? The US playwright …
This week, a blogger gave drama a pivotal role in humanity's struggles to understand the cosmos. And musicals went MormonWhere does theatre fit when it comes to life, the universe and everyt…
As the Tony Kushner affair rumbles on, Simon Stephens and Edward Albee have been musing on the art of modern theatre. Apparently it's all in the rulesWe begin in the company of the dramatist…
Deborah Pearson took theatre's storytellers to town a few months ago. This week's bloggers told a very different taleA few weeks ago we looked at how Deborah Pearson was untangling the knott…
Bloggers mull over the relationship between religion and theatreIs theatre sacred? Writer and director George Hunka (an atheist, as it happens) certainly thinks so. In this recent post, he a…
Bloggers ponder the divide between amateur and professional; and why writing a play is like sitting on a can of Coke' Australian poet, critic and blogger Alison Croggon is pondering amateuri…
Podcasts are the new blogs on both sides of the Atlantic and Obama turns casting director (at least according to the Onion)This week I'm talking theatre " literally. American blogger Matt Fr…
On one side of the Atlantic, US bloggers are fretting whether American theatre is in decline. On the other, Brits can't decide whether to despair over funding cuts " or celebrateIs American …
After one of the biggest protests in British history and yesterday's news about funding, theatre bloggers have responded to the cuts with fighting talkThe past week has seen both one of the …
From career advice Stateside to the notion of nation in new plays, ideas take centre stage in the blogosphere this weekThis week bloggers are discussing a veritable smorgasbord of theatrical…
Bloggers are arguing about whether ideology pervades theatre, and critics' responses to it " and whether some wear their politics more lightly than othersShould critics impose their own valu…
We're hardwired to engage with stories, but bloggers have doubts about whether narrative can hold a mirror up to natureOur main story this week is about, well, stories themselves. Bloggers a…
Joshua Conkel caused heated debate when he argued theatre was the sole preserve of the privileged. But was he right?Theatre is a class act. So says Joshua Conkel on the Youngblood Blog. But …
Global warming may fascinate contemporary theatre, but some bloggers are arguing that the best art focuses on human fundamentals, not the headlinesWhen is a play about climate change not a p…
Matt Trueman caused a furore by suggesting it was unethical for bloggers to review shows early. But are these amateur critics as innocent as they claim to be?How sacred are previews? Are blo…
It's a valid question " but when it was asked by the chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, the internet went into overdriveAre there too many theatres in America? Rocco Landesman thi…
Fin Kennedy's piece on playwrights in schools has led some to speculate on the possibility of a more corporate kind of residencyWe begin with Aleks Sierz, who is mulling over the cuts. And h…
A New York venue has begun offering childcare in a bid to get parents to buy tickets. Plus a tribute to an academic greatTheatres will do anything to get audiences through the doors. But, as…
Ex-Big Brother contestant Kenneth Tong's outbursts about losing weight might qualify as theatre, says the blogosphere. And, elsewhere, the Spider-Man musical farrago rolls onNoises off is ke…
Among many theatrical recipients of New Year honours was Anne Carroll, who has inspired young people for decadesMuch has been made of the fact that the recent New Year honours list was peppe…
Theatre is under attack around the world, bloggers find. Even the Red Cross seems to be getting in on the actNoises off is choosing its words very carefully: this week we're discussing the t…
Melbourne enjoys a dramatic renaissance, bloggers debate the rise of the online critic, and the political road ahead looks bumpySo this is 2011. And, unsurprisingly, bloggers are still in re…
Our writer marvels at the Christmas cheer of theatre bloggers and asks who is most deserving of seasonal charity donationsIt's that time of year again, when bloggers pour themselves a glass …
