Letters

The Editor, Sir:

I don't, as a rule, bother to answer my critics. I'm experienced enough to have learned to take my critical licks like anyone else. As the American actress Bebe Neuwirth stated in a recent interview, she long ago took her mentor, Bob Fosse's, advice and no longer bothers to read the often despised New York theatre critics.

conflict of interest

Keiron King, one of The Gleaner's latest crop of theatre critics has his own aspirations to be an actor, his most recent appearance on the local stage being in the Fairfield Theatre's production of The White Witch. And so, for the historical record, I am using this medium to suggest that this constitutes a serious conflict of interest. I felt the same way about having my productions reviewed by the late Norman Rae, who, as a theatrical colleague for whom I had the greatest respect, I could never take seriously as a critic, simply because his 'insider' status undermined his credibility. And so, unfortunately, is the case with Mr King.

King's attempts to appear dispassionate in his latest outing as reviewer (in The Gleaner of May 10) fail most miserably when he made a distinctly unfavourable comparison between one actress in the play against another (whom he did not see) for work that she did elsewhere. As a result his entire review loses its credibility.

Fortunately for him, King's fellow actors have not had the opportunity to publicly record their opinions of his own acting ability. It really is such a great pity. King at least has a command of the English language, but he needs to decide whether he will continue to place it at the service of his own stage career, or in the critical analysis of the work of others.

I am, etc.,

BRIAN HEAP

bsheap@hotmail.com

Director

The University Players