Calm down, dears – it's only a theatre review

'The internet. It sure is grand, but by God is it angry. And in few places, curiously, is this anger more evident than in theatre blogging and online reviews. The very titles seethe with anger. The West End Whingers, Burnt Arts (the text blazing red) and Distant Aggravation are just the tip of the razor-sharp iceberg. The subheadings continue in the same, aggressive manner, with the West End Whingers claiming – albeit, perhaps, ironically – to be "putting London's West End theatre to rights". Just why is the internet so riddled with rage and is it useful to theatre criticism – or merely self-destructive?'


& a few related posts I missed while I was in Venice. 
Yes that VENICE...Yes it was Ve(ry)nice...

• Noises off: Should theatres pay critics to come and review?
• Does it matter if theatre critics have conflicts of interest?
• Young people and theatre: Theatre companies and universities around the country are involved in a major research project to try to understand what it is that draws young people to the theatre. It's a long term study, started in 2007 and it involves academics at Griffith, Sydney and Melbourne universities, and the major theatre companies and production houses in three states.
• Only critics can tell us what matters about art
• British Ceramics Biennial brings signs of a Potteries revival

Also, this...

Beyond the words. What can critics do beyond their words?