How to write about performing arts?
You'll find lots of great tips here! How do you write about performing arts in the public space? Here we show you some different text genres you can write in, and also give some tips on what to think about when writing.
Writing about performing arts
When you write something on the internet or in another medium that many others can read, you should know as far as possible that what you write is correct. Do you know enough about what you are writing about? Where does the information you have come from? How can you find out more about an issue and how do you know if what you find out is correct? To learn more about source criticism, take this fun test (there are new questions every time):
When you're writing about the performing arts, you're allowed to have an opinion. However, it's always a good idea to follow the law of face: Don't write anything about a person if you couldn't say the same thing directly to that person.
If you or someone you interview criticizes another person or something they have done, they have the right to respond to the criticism. If the criticism is strong, the response should be published at the same time as the criticism.
Together with the editor, you are responsible for ensuring that the facts about the shows, issues and people you write about are correct.
Genres
A critique is a text that evaluates and discusses a work of art or an artistic expression.
In the performing arts, critics evaluate performances and concerts. It is common to write criticism from the very first performance, the premiere. But all performances that are open to the public must be prepared to be visited by a critic.
In the performing arts, criticism is also important as documentation, since performances of live art expressions are slightly different every time.
Reviews are often written by a professional, but in principle anyone who has attended a performance can write a review. A review is not just consumer guidance. A review should put the performance into a wider context.
Where do you start?
Bring a pen and paper into the auditorium and write down any thoughts you have as you watch and listen. What comes to mind here can often be a good starting point for a text.
Another tip is to ask yourself after a performance or concert what you remember best, or what you would first tell a friend who was not present, and start writing about it. This doesn't have to be the beginning of the text, but it often brings out interesting points.
A critique can take many forms, but it must contain
- a description of something you see/hear/read
- an opinion on what you have described
- a justification for why you believe this
Beyond this, most things are allowed. There are reviews that are written in rhyme or as poems, such as this one.
As a critic, you are allowed to be personal and subjective, as long as you always justify your opinions. If you have strong opinions, it's a good idea to use the word "I" and write, for example, "I experience this because...". This shows that what you write is an opinion and not an eternal truth. Remember that you can never know what others in the audience think unless you ask them. If you are particularly critical, remember the law of face (see above). And remember to justify your opinion. Questions about why and how are always important when writing a critique.
A critique of performing arts can be based on many elements: direction, text, acting, stage design, music, the surrounding space, the audience, etc. If you try to include everything, the text will rarely be good. Try to pick out something that interests you and describe and evaluate it in more detail.
Also remember that the person reading the text has often not been to the performance. It is therefore important that you describe what you are talking about.
The language
Make an effort to find words that everyone can understand. You are allowed to use technical terms, as long as you explain them.
If you write a name, remember to always explain to your readers what role this person plays in the context. This also applies if the person is fairly well known, because you never know who is going to read your text. For example, "actress Ane Dahl Torp". Write your full name or surname. Don't just use first names, as this makes it seem like you and the person you're writing about are close friends.
Make sure you don't use the same word, such as "interesting", more than once. A critique is a fairly short text.
Format
The actual text you write is called body text. In a review, the body text is often around 3000 characters including spaces.
Fact box
Facts about the performance (time, place, title, organizer, who was involved and the name of the piece or music) do not need to be included in the text itself. Collect it alongside in a fact box.
Title and preamble
When you have finished writing your text, give it a title and a preamble (1 sentence). Both the title and the preamble should tempt the reader to read on. Therefore, they should contain a meaning. Get two good points from the text you've already written (a given number of characters with spaces).
Hability
A critique must be independent. The theater that produced the performance cannot pay for a critique or edit the text. This would make it difficult for readers to know whether the person who wrote it was completely honest. It doesn't help if the critic believes that he or she is honest. If the reader is unsure of the critic's intention, the text loses credibility. Similarly, if you're a close friend or family member of someone in the show, you're incompetent. Readers may think that it's difficult for you to be honest, or that you're writing to support them.
Signature
A review should always be signed with your full name. This lets the reader know that you stand by what you say, and the reader can find out more about you if he or she wants to. It will also be possible to respond to you, if anyone wishes to do so.
Here is an example of a critique
The value of a genre
that received a response
Yes, it's worth it
A commentary is an opinionated text written by a person who has been paid to write it. This could be the newspaper's own journalists or an invited expert.
In a commentary, meaning is important. The commentary discusses, evaluates and justifies an event or issue. It often attempts to summarize general features, such as a seasonal program or program policy at a theatre, a debate on a cultural policy issue or similar.
A comment is also personal, and it's a good idea to write something that lets the reader know something about who you are and what your background is.
Articles and letters to the editor are texts that anyone can submit to a newspaper. These are not rewarded.
Articles are longer and more thorough than letters to the editor. Articles are often written by professionals, interest groups or politicians to shed light on an issue or promote a particular opinion.
The editor of the newspaper assesses and decides which op-eds and letters to the editor the newspaper accepts, based on whether the submitter has an issue that the editor believes is current, important and relevant.
The response to the criticism we showed above is an example of a letter to the editor.
Other examples:
Op-ed: Keep the cultural elite away from children
Letter to the editor: Yes, we love the wolf hunters
In an interview, you ask questions to an interviewee who answers the questions.
The background for an interview is often a current issue.
Start by doing your research. Read the internet, newspapers and other sources and find out as much as possible about the person you're interviewing and the subject you're talking about. Remember to be critical of sources, including your interviewee.
Sometimes the interviewee wants to talk to a journalist to convey something. It could be a performing artist who wants an audience for their new show, or a theater manager who wants to explain to politicians the consequences of the new state budget.
Other times it's the journalist who gets in touch, perhaps because the interviewee knows something that the journalist thinks is relevant to others.
The questions: Create some of the questions in advance. It helps you to get into the case. Avoid yes/no questions. Ask why and how. Ask follow-up questions if there's something you're wondering about or don't understand.
When writing an interview, you need to convey what the interviewee says in an honest way. At the same time, you need to be aware that the person you're talking to may not be telling you everything and may not be telling the truth.
Form: It is important to be clear in the text when you are speaking and when the interviewee is speaking. If you think it might be unclear, you can add a "says/tells/means/elaborates Ole Jensen" at the end of the quote.
It is possible to print out the interview as questions and answers only. This makes the form of the conversation particularly clear. If you choose such a form, you can show who is speaking through different formatting of the text, as in this example.
Example of an interview: It's serious for me, walking
But the most common is to turn some of what the interviewee says, or some of what you found out when you did your research, into descriptive text between the questions. In such interstitials, you do the talking. Here you can give the reader background information, facts about the case and your impression of the interviewee.
Quote check
When you have finished asking questions, you should ask the interviewee if he or she wants you to send a quote check. The interviewee has the right to read and correct anything you have formulated as direct quotes before you publish. It's a good idea to set a deadline for when you want an answer as to whether the quotes have been approved.
You don't need to send interstitials unless they clearly convey the opinions of the person you're talking to.
If you want, you can send the entire text, but remember that the person you are interviewing does not have the right to decide how they are described.
These tips have been prepared by critics at the section for theater, music and dance in Norsk Kritikerlag.
How to get published on Young Voices
It's not that difficult, but it's important to get it right.
All professional performing arts: for example theater, dance and contemporary circus. It can either be something you've seen at school through the Cultural Rucksack, or at a theater or cultural center. Perhaps you've interviewed someone about the piece, or you want to write a review? On Young Voices, you can write the texts you want; for example, reviews, thoughts, interviews and articles. Maybe you were inspired to write a story? If you've made a little movie clip, you can post that too.
When you write about a performance, you must include the title of the performance, perhaps where you saw it and who was in the play. You must also include a photo. This can either be a photo you took yourself or one you found on the theater's website. Always state who had the photo and where you found it. For more tips on how to write and what to include, see here. When you write about performing arts, you are allowed to have an opinion. However, it's always a good idea to follow the face law: Don't write anything about a person if you couldn't say the same thing directly to that person.
Before your review is published, it will go through the editors of Young Voices. We will give you feedback, and you can also ask the editors questions if you want help with your writing. We only publish serious reviews, and we want you to sign your name. Keep an eye on your email for feedback notifications.
Unge Stemmer is a public page where everyone can read what has been written. Other young people who are going to see the same performance that you have just seen may be interested in reading what you have written. The same goes for the artists who created the play, others who work with theater, and those who choose what will be shown in the Cultural Rucksack.
Send to elin@scenekunstbruket.no