The Complete Critic's Qualifications

by Harold Clurman

Besides having culitvated taste, feeling and a talent for clear observation of people:

1. the critic should know the greater part of classic and contemporary drama as written and played. Added to this, he must be conversant with general literature: novels, poetry, essays of wide scope.

2. He should know the history of the theatre form its origins to the present.

3. He should have a long and broad playgoing experience - of native and foreign productions.

4. He should possess an interest in and a familiarity with the arts: painting, music, architecture and the dance.

5. He should have worked in the theatre in some capacity (apart from criticism).

6. He should know the history of his country and world history: the social thinking of past and present.

7. He should have something like a philosophy, an attitude toward life.

8. He should write lucidly, and, if possible, gracefully. CLARITY.

9. He should respect his readers by upholding high standards and encourage his readers to cultivate the same.

10.  He should be aware of his prejudices and blind spots.

11. He should err on the side of generosity rather than an opposite zeal.

12. He should seek to enlighten rather than carp or puff. (Mindless raving puffery is just as damaging to the theatre and drama as a thoughtless snarky pan.)

• Avoid non-specific adjectives such as BRILLIANT and WONDERFUL; we want to know WHY they are great.
• DISCERNMENT: Determining the value and quality of a certain subject or event, particularly the going past the mere perception of something and making detailed judgments about that thing. As a virtue, a discerning individual is considered to possess wisdom, and be of good judgment; especially so with regard to subject matter often overlooked by others. Discern between direction, design, script and acting.
• PERSONALITY: Develop you unique voice.
• Read the work of other critics.
• Are you at the theater to analyze or be entertained?
• Critique what is in front of you. Beware of being a show doctor and telling the artists what they should have done instead.
• True or False: the job of a critic is to destroy the bad to make way for the good.
• Three questions for your review: what are they going for? Did they achieve it? Does it work?
• Take notes: Write down a line, an emotion, or when you have an instinctive judgment.
• Fall in love with theater.
• Be prepared to take criticism yourself.