Welcome to the next in a series celebrating female colleagues who engage with theatre as critics, reviewers, bloggers or content creators. I am using ‘theatre’ to encompass all live arts performances, and ‘reviewer’ to cover all those who add commentary on what they see.
The master list is at: https://loureviews.blog/spotlight-on-female-theatre-reviewers-bloggers-critics-and-content-creators/
If you would like to be profiled as part of this project, please get in touch.
Today, I turn my attention to Cathryn Macey.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to be writing or creating content about theatre?
If you have your own platform, when did it start, and how did you come up with the name? If you write for one or many platforms, which was the first and how did you become involved with it?
During Covid, I reconnected with theatre. Seeing my local theatre campaign for funding and support during a time of great uncertainty in the arts reinvigorated a love for theatre that had been buried a bit by work and motherhood.
When I looked into going to the theatre after it reopened, I realised I would need to remortgage or donate a kidney to afford the quantity of shows I wanted to see. Thankfully, the theatre ran a Bloggers and Critics scheme, which I was lucky enough to be accepted on.
I saw a lot of different shows over six months, and afterwards I began writing for The Herald and Plymouth Live. I am still reviewing for the theatre itself and have occasionally branched out into festival and gig reviews for Plymouth Live and The Herald. I have also reviewed for The Stage.
What kind of shows do you cover, and in which geographical areas?
I cover Plymouth, but have also covered Truro, which was less convenient but a lot of fun as it was to review Hall for Cornwall’s panto for The Stage. Theatres like Hall for Cornwall struggle to get reviewers, so it was great to help them boost the show’s coverage.
How would you describe yourself (reviewer, critic, content creator, YouTuber, influencer, other)?
I would describe myself as a Freelance Arts Reviewer as I cover theatre, film and music, but theatre is the genre I write about the most.
Setting up your own blog, etc., looks like a tremendous amount of work, and I cannot commit to that right now. I am an elderly millennial, so seeing my byline is a thrill…. especially when it is in print.
Why do you continue to engage with theatre?
I continue to engage with theatre as it is honestly the highlight of living in Plymouth. TRP is a real hive of cultural activity, and I love feeling a part of it.
I have met incredible people since I reconnected to theatre, and I thoroughly enjoy going to productions and then sharing my opinions with others. It is incredibly empowering and has given me a voice.
What’s the one thing that would make the theatre reviewing/content creating space easier for you personally, and/or for your platform?
In terms of making it easier for me to continue, I guess some cash on top of my freebies would be lovely! A girl can dream.
I did get a small fee from The Stage, but that didn’t even cover the hotel that I realistically needed to meet the strict deadline.
Do you have a favourite show – and any you particularly dislike(d)?
Fav show is hard to pinpoint, but I am a fan of the smaller shows in The Drum. It has a fringe theatre feel, fantastic q and a’s after and a late start time and early finish!!
What’s the biggest change you have noticed in the theatre space since you started contributing to it?
I don’t feel I’ve been in the game long enough to see too many changes, but you can see the impact of budget cuts in terms of sets on certain productions.
Can you pinpoint one of your best reviews, features, or videos?
My piece for a show about a veteran with PTSD received a lot of attention online. Battlecry was written by a writer from the Plymouth area, so it was great to get positive feedback on my review.
Promoting the smaller shows means a lot, but I equally enjoy raving about musicals like A Bat out of Hell, which was duplicated by Plym Live for Cornwall Live.
The theatre commentary space is wide and diverse – is there any other female reviewer/content creator you would recommend, and why?
I would recommend Rosie Sharman Ward (Pink Prince Theatre). Sharp and funny, Rosie is straight to the point.
And which social networks are you most active on? If you are not on any, what is your opinion of their place in theatre reviewing/content creation?
I’m not particularly active on social networks at the moment, but the theatre uses my work on theirs. Social networks are vital for engaging potential audiences, so I love seeing my work shared on the TRP social channels/Plym Live Facebook.
How can people contact you who want to promote a show?
Email cemacey19@gmail.com.
Thank you, Cathryn!