Time Out has been having layoffs throughout the last couple of years. There was a general sense amongst people there of just waiting for the shoe to drop- it was just a matter of when and whom.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
I think this is merely another sign of the ever-increasing irrelevance of arts writers; posters here, I believe, are not generally aware of how few people read (or even know about) that kind of thing.
Personally, I don't find it a tragedy; getting paid to write (generally rather poorly) about one's subjective (often not-particularly-well-informed) opinion of arts or entertainment is not really an admirable (or even useful) vocation. An independent thinker can easily choose what to see based on other criteria.
The only thing more predictable than layoffs is Newintown coming to post about the "ever-increasing irrelevance" of arts journalism. You have a low opinion of critics. We get it.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
Have you seen how even the paper quality of Time Out has gotten flimsier? This is upsetting, and I was hoping it wouldn't happen, but alas. (I'm a former print newspaper employee too...laid off 9.5 years ago!)
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
Kad said: "I mean, they already had generally hacked down the length of most theatre reviews to a couple hundred words.
"
Wasn't that always their model, though? Even their lead reviews were generally in the 600-700 word range, for as long as I can remember. Most of the reviews were 300-word quick-hits that could easily be converted into a 75-word capsule.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
Too bad for Cote--I really admired his writing style. I just hope they don't promote Feldman. He's better suited for his present, frivolous ramblings-- such as his admiration of Broadway dancer bodies and his exploitation of such.
Trish2 said: "Too bad for Cote--I really admired his writing style. I just hope they don't promote Feldman. He's better suited for his present, frivolous ramblings-- such as his admiration of Broadway dancer bodies and his exploitation of such."
^THIS! I always get so uncomfortable when one minute he's writing a Broadway "review" and then the next minute is compiling an "article" about the hottest dancers on Broadway. I don't know why, but it feels icky to me. It's not really a conflict of interest, but it does make me trust his opinion less since he is so clearly attracted to shiny things.
bjh2114 said: "I don't deny that it's possible!!! But there's something about the WAY he writes both things, and I can't put my finger on it."
Well, just glancing at the likes/shares of the most recent hottest chorus people list... it's far more popular than the vast majority of the reviews. The writers of Time Out as under immense pressure to deliver traffic.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
Oh no! I absolutely adore David Cote's reviews and I tell everyone that I can about how he's my favorite. I guess there won't be a reason for me to pick up TimeOut anymore.
I hope he still does reviews for OnStage, which also been going downhill. Le sigh. Maybe someone else will snatch him up.
LizzieCurry said: "Have you seen how even the paper quality of Time Out has gotten flimsier? This is upsetting, and I was hoping it wouldn't happen, but alas. (I'm a former print newspaper employee too...laid off 9.5 years ago!)
At least it's given out for free here in NYC
"
"Anything you do, let it it come from you--then it will be new."
Sunday in the Park with George