For one week this summer, representatives of twelve diverse countries gathered together to discuss the career they all share. While English was the common language, despite the varied accents, the common theme was theatre, and the common goal was to discover how critics from various countries ply their trade. The result was a fascinating realization that no matter what corner of the globe, or what political state exists within that country, the practices and problems faced by theatre critics don't vary quite as much as one would think.
The seminar was ably run by Ian Herbert, Sylvie Drake and Larry
DeVine, in conjunction with The National Playwright's Conference
at The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center in Waterford, Connecticut.
Subjects such as censorship and the role of the theatre critic
were the main topics discussed. Besides viewing and discussing
several of the new works being presented by the O'Neill, such
as Cyclone by Ron Fitzgerald, and Pork Pie by Michael
Genet, the days were also filled with discussions ranging from
the state of theatre and criticism in each of the countries represented,
the many different and surprising translations of classical and
Shakespearean scripts in countries like Turkey and Bulgaria and
Croatia, and the role of the critic in fostering and commenting
on new works.
There were also a few interesting side trips, most notably to
the Goodspeed Opera House for a tour of the operation and to catch
their production of No, No Nannette. This fluffy musical
was surprisingly panned by the bulk of the foreign stagiares,
who didn't seem to grasp the point of escapist theatre. It seems
that theatre in many Eastern European countries and Hong Kong
is necessarily motivated more by education and subtle political
communication than nostalgia.
Spending a wonderful amount of time in the boyhood home of Eugene
O'Neill, the Monte Cristo Cottage, for our discussions and critiques,
we were immersed in theatre and given some wonderful lectures.
Most notable was a somewhat bleak but enlightening look at the
state of New York theatre by The Village Voice critic Michael
Feingold, who did his best to dispel the myth of Broadway's dominance
in contemporary American theatre.
From tasty barbecued ribs at the welcome dinner to a tour of Mystic
Seaport, followed by a fantastic lobster dinner, compliments of
O'Neill founder George White, the stagiares also enjoyed
some non-theatre-based entertainment, giving them a chance to
experience a taste of coastal Connecticut in its summer splendor.
By the end of the whirlwind week, we had discovered many of our
commonalities. We left knowing that dealing with editors, balancing
the cutting with the constructive, and keeping a professional
distance while serving the theatre communities needs are challenges
faced by theatre critics the world over, from Poland to the Czech
Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Russia, Mexico and Canada. We also
left knowing that whether in a country where wars have recently
scarred the population, or economic flux has brought the theatre
to near-bankruptcy, or racial unrest bubbles just below the surface,
there will always be an audience, and theatre can still work its
magic to educate, inform and entertain.