The Art of the Critics Review

A modern day theatre-goer need only count the number of stars a production receives before deciding whether or not to part with their cash for a ticket. From a local theatre company at the Warwick Arts Centre to a West End musical, a review of less than four stars could make a potential spectator invest their money elsewhere. So are there any glimpses of hope for three star productions?

In short, there is little hope for such productions. Three star plays and musicals tend to resort to reducing the prices of their tickets in order to increase their attendances. Shows such as The Wind in the Willows, which has fallen short of the four star mark, are offering up to 30% off their ticket prices. Although this is great news for cash-strapped audiences, the show is unlikely to meet its projected revenue. If the musical Viva Forever! is anything to go by, then three star shows are in serious trouble.

After an only 6 month run, this musical about the Spice Girls announced its closure in June of last year, following and as a result of what can only be described as atrocious reviews. The influence of critical opinion on the general public was clear for all to see as the show was reported to have lost £5 million. Judy Craymer, the producer of the show, made the announcement just five months after its premiere in the West End. This isn’t the only show to become known as a ‘West End flop’. Gone with the Wind was criticised as ‘extravagantly pointless’ by Michael Billington in The Guardian and the show closed 3 months earlier than anticipated.

These sorts of issues don’t just affect productions in London, reviewed in the national broadsheets. Local plays and even local theatres can be put under serious threat by below-average reviews. The Royal Spa Centre in Leamington Spa came close to closure in 2010 after a high level of scrutiny was placed on the productions and the theatre itself. It took a change of management and an injection of money to save the theatre from the brink of disaster.

It’s not all doom and gloom though. Reviews don’t always reflect how much success a show has. We Will Rock You was handed some ignominious reviews, not least by The Guardian. A 2 star review in 2002 didn’t seem to hamper the show’s success and it soon reached the milestone of 1 million tickets sold. It is currently the longest running production at the Dominion Theatre and is widely regarded as an audience favourite.

It is obvious that reviews are often the deciding factor when choosing between plays to spend your money on. Foremost, it mediates risk; you know to expect a great show, but the critic’s opinion should be read with some degree of caution. Unfavourable reviews can lead to poor ticket sales for particular shows, whether critical opinion matches audience reception or not, putting even enjoyable productions at risk of closure. However, We Will Rock You has proved that reviews don’t always reflect public opinion and that they shouldn’t be used as the deciding factor on whether or not to buy a ticket. Poor reviews can constitute a lack of success, but that does not mean that the curtain will fall on every harshly reviewed production.