With the Toronto Fringe just around the corner, many are likely lamenting the recent loss of Mooney on Theatre, and the major cuts made to papers like NOW Magazine, as it means even fewer opportunities to get reviewers out to see indie shows.
I make a habit of reviewing nearly every show I see, and while I don’t kid myself that my reviews are going to make or break any production, I have seen the quotes used by smaller shows that have not managed to get any other reviewers out: we all know the importance of a good pull quote, and so with that in mind, we started the Indie Unite part of this blog.
Indie Unite is a place to share reviews of local (GTA) indie theatre. Simple as that. If there is enough interest shown we may one day expand into a blog of its own, but for now Bygone is dedicating a page to posting reviews from anyone who wants to review.
We do not have the money or ability to run a fully-fledged review site, so this is where you all come in. If you saw a show and want to post a review, send it to us and we’ll get it up there. If you have a show you want a reviewer for, we’ll post a call. We just ask for a few basic things to make sure this goes smoothly:
FOR REVIEWERS SUBMITTING REVIEWS:
For your review to be accepted, it must include the following:
- Title: Must be formatted in the following manner:
A Play by John Doe/Theatre Company at The Theatre.
That is, write the title, the author and/or producer and the location the show is being performed at. - Photo: Must include a minimum of 1 high-res photo, ideally of the show, could be a poster if none are available, and be sure to supply any needed credits.
- Show Info: there must be at least 1 more performance occurring more than 24 hours after you submit this review (always send as early as possible so we have time to post), and you must list the remaining performances, the theatre location with address, and a link to learn more about the production and/or buy tickets.
- Your Info: you must include your name and a brief bio (even if only a sentence) that situates you as a reviewer – why are we interested in your review? Are you an actor? A theatre lover? Whatever it is, give the reader a bit of context. You’re encouraged to supply a headshot as well and may link to a personal website if you wish.
Reviews should be 3-5 paragraphs long, and while I will give a quick glance to edit for spelling and grammar, I ask that you take the time to do so yourself as well. I encourage you to write at least one sentence that is purely positive, even if you hated the show – I’ve seen some bad theatre in my time but there’s always something good you can say and having that quote can really help a struggling production out. That said, please be honest in your review, even if that means saying it wasn’t very good.
FOR PRODUCTIONS REQUESTING REVIEWERS :
If you would like to have us post a call for a reviewer, send us the following:
- Basic Show Info: the title, producer, author, time and place – all the basics
- A Brief Synopsis: 1-2 sentences about what the show is
- How Many Reviewers You Will Allow: anyone can review your show anytime, but if you are comping reviewers let us know how many you are willing to do that for
- Special Notes: are there any trigger warnings? Accessibility issues? Are you looking for a reviewer with a particular background or knowledge?
- Contact Info: we are not organizing this for you, just sharing your info. So please provide a way for potential reviewers to contact you to arrange tickets
So let’s see how this goes! Hopefully we can get some more people out seeing indie theatre, and we can share the word about the great shows we see. To submit reviews or requests please email info@bygonetheatre.com with the subject line: Review for SHOW – Date of Performance.
-E.D.
Bygone Theatre 