School of Arts

What is Theatre Criticism for?

5PM, 11 March 2011, Jarman 1, School of Arts, University of Kent

The age of Blogspot and Twitter has provoked frequent reflections on the changing nature of theatre criticism and, in some blog circles, on the 'demise of the public intellectual' (Hunka, Waters, Haydon). In academia, however, while research into spectatorship studies is moving towards the specialized complexities of neuro-science, funders seem to be urging young scholars to seek 'public engagement'.

What implications do such tensions have for journalists, academics and the public? In a digital age, what is theatre criticism for, how does it function, and whom does it serve?

The University of Kent is delighted to be able to host its alumni Lyn Gardner and Mark Fisher, together with Irving Wardle, Patrick Marmion and the historian of theatre criticism Dr Paul Prescott in a panel discussion on the changing face of arts criticism in Britain.

Speakers:
Irving Wardle, writer and theatre critic Lyn Gardner, theatre critic, The Guardian Mark Fisher, freelance theatre critic, former editor of The List Patrick Marmion, freelance writer, arts journalist Dr Paul Prescott, Associate Professor, University of Warwick

Chair: Dr Duska Radosavljevic, contributor to The Stage Newspaper and Lecturer in Drama and Theatre Studies, University of Kent.

Sponsored by the Faculty of Humanities, Drama and the School of Arts and the European Theatre Research Network, University of Kent.

Free entry; limited capacity; includes drinks reception.

For further info and registration of interest please write to theatre.criticism.symposium@gmail.com.

 

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Last Updated: 08/02/2011