How Do Theatre Reviewers Actually Work?
Understanding the Reviewer’s Perspective — An Online Conversation on Invitations, Ethics and Professional Communication
Guests
Lucy Holz and Dr Ke Meng
Partner Organisation
Key Topics
- What reviewers look for when watching a production
- How reviewers prepare, think and complete a review
- What makes a review invitation more likely to receive a response?
- What should an effective review invitation include?
- How early should theatre makers contact reviewers?
- Is it acceptable to follow up after sending an invitation?
- Common reasons why reviewers accept or decline invitations
- The boundaries between theatre criticism, publicity and professional ethics
- How artists can respond to mixed or negative reviews
- How to build respectful professional relationships with reviewers
In this Talking session, we discussed current industry issues surrounding invitations to theatre reviewers. Our guests shared their considered perspectives on these questions and offered the audience highly valuable frontline industry insights grounded in professional practice.
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We have worked with our guests to compile a reviewer-informed “Review Invitation Checklist”, offering practical guidance for theatre makers, producers and publicists preparing future productions, tours and festival projects. Join the group to receive a copy.
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Who is this session for?
This session is for theatre makers, producers, publicists, emerging reviewers, and anyone interested in understanding how theatre reviewing works in the UK.
This Talking was hosted by Wendy and featured Lucy Holz and Dr Ke Meng, writers and reviewers for A Young(ish) Perspective. Drawing on their professional experience, they discussed how reviewers watch, think about and write on a production, and how theatre makers can approach reviewers with greater clarity, confidence and professionalism.
The conversation explored what reviewers notice when watching a production, how they prepare and develop their critical responses, and where the ethical boundaries between criticism, publicity and professional relationships lie. The guests also discussed what makes an effective review invitation, why reviewers accept or decline invitations, how artists can respond constructively to mixed or negative coverage, and how artists, producers and publicists can build respectful long-term relationships with reviewers.
Meet the Guests
Lucy Holz
Lucy Holz manages social media for Sadler’s Wells in London, one of the world’s leading dance houses. She works with London theatre companies to promote productions and manages social media channels reaching more than 150,000 followers.
Lucy studied Theatre Studies and Creative Writing at the University of Melbourne and has written theatre reviews for a range of Australian and UK publications. She is also an award-winning playwright, bringing the combined perspectives of reviewer, writer and theatre maker to the conversation. Lucy is a writer and editor for A Young(ish) Perspective.
Dr Ke Meng
Dr Ke Meng is an independent scholar, freelance writer and theatre educator based in London. She previously worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Sun Yat-sen University.
Her research interests include theatre criticism and philosophy, performer–audience relationships, theatrical subjectivity and human agency. As a columnist for Shanghai Theatre, she contributes a theatre review every two months and has published more than thirty reviews. She has also written in-depth political commentary for the Hong Kong media platform The Initium and English-language theatre reviews for A Young(ish) Perspective.