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, it’s the turn of Shehrazade Zafar-Arif at London Box Office.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to be writing or creating content about theatre?
I’ve always loved theatre, and I did my Masters in Shakespeare Studies at King’s College London in conjunction with Shakespeare’s Globe, which was an amazing opportunity to get immersed in the practicalities of theatre-making. I got to watch a lot of plays as part of my degree, and wrote about them as part of my coursework, which inspired my interest in writing about theatre professionally.
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?
I started out as a freelance theatre reviewer, writing for publications like Shakespeare Bulletin, The Upcoming, Crayon Magazine, and others. I began writing reviews for London Box Office before joining full-time, and now I manage content for the website, including news articles, features, and social media, as well as reviews.
What kind of shows do you cover, and in which geographical areas?
I cover shows in London, both West End and off-West End.
How would you describe yourself (reviewer, critic, content creator, YouTuber, influencer, other)?
I would describe myself as a theatre critic.
Why do you continue to engage with theatre?
I just think there’s nothing like live performance when it comes to connecting with storytelling, and theatre is such a valuable platform for telling stories that might otherwise go unheard, creating space for diverse voices, and engaging with social change. London has such a staggering variety of theatre to offer, and one of my favourite parts of my job is getting to see a show that I might otherwise not have heard of and absolutely falling in love with it.
What’s the one thing that would make the theatre reviewing/content creating space easier for you personally, and/or for your platform?
I think we could definitely use more diversity and diverse voices in the theatre reviewing/content creating space. The theatre industry has definitely gotten better in this respect since I started out, with greater representation across actors, directors, writers, and creatives – but it’s important for that representation to be reflected in the people writing about theatre.
Do you have a favourite show – and any you particularly dislike(d)?
I recently saw Sherlock Holmes at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and absolutely loved it – it was such a vibrant, immersive experience in such a gorgeous venue, and such a fun, clever take on the Sherlock Holmes canon. I can’t think of anything I particularly disliked – I enjoy most shows I see, even if they’re not always my cup of tea.
The theatre commentary space is wide and diverse – is there any other female reviewer/content creator you would recommend, and why?
Emmie Newitt, who runs Theatre & Tonic – she used to work with me at London Box Office. I also recently connected with Rivka Jacobson, who runs Plays to See, at a press night, and she’s doing great work too.
What’s the biggest change you have noticed in the theatre space since you started contributing to it?
Ticket prices going up – the West End has always been expensive, but it’s gotten even more unaffordable, which is a shame, because theatre should be accessible to everyone. I’ve also noticed a lot more musical/stage adaptations of popular films and franchises – which can be fun, but I hope this tendency doesn’t mean we see less original works being produced.
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 mostly use Instagram. I used to be more active on Twitter/X, but I think the quality of the content on there has gone down a bit and so a lot of content creators are moving away from it. I’m less active on TikTok, but I definitely see its value in the theatre space, especially among younger people.
Can you pinpoint one of your best reviews, features, or videos?
I’m particularly proud of this recent review of Sherlock Holmes at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre – I had a lot to say, and it’s rare for me to give a show five stars! https://www.londonboxoffice.co.uk/news/post/review-sherlock-holmes-regents-park-open-air-theatre
How can people contact you who want to promote a show?
The best way to reach me is by email: shehrazade@londonboxoffice.co.
Thanks, Shehrazade!