I [had] just finished reading Cranky Hanke’s movie reviews in the [Jan. 17] issue. As usual, they were insightful and thorough, reflecting his unique understanding of the cinema. Then I flipped over to the review of the current Asheville Community Theatre’s production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof [“Still Sees Well in the Dark”]. Having just seen the play, I was anxious to know what your reviewer thought of the local effort.
I was greatly disappointed. This was not a review, but rather (apparently) a Google search discussing the play’s history. I believe your readers deserve better than this. Asheville is blessed with a wealth of local and visiting productions. I count at least seven established theater groups in your readership area, and that’s probably an undercount. Some productions that I’ve seen are great; others are merely so-so.
I understand that theater reviews carry certain risks for the reviewer and the newspaper. Hanke can be critical of a movie or an actor/actress yet never run the risk of meeting them in the grocery store. And I notice that ACT placed a quarter-page ad for the play, which presumably they could pull if the review was negative. Still, the Xpress would be doing a real service for both audience members and actors by publishing real reviews. When written by knowledgeable and thoughtful reviewers, these reviews would most certainly add to the audience’s understanding of the play. In turn, this would encourage actors and directors to delve deeper and produce better shows. That makes it a win-win situation for all of us.
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