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 Kirsty at From Page to Stage.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to be writing or creating content about theatre?
Back in 2018, I was working in London and spending all of my time (and money) at the theatre. I saw a tweet through #OVConnect from Emma at Love London Love Culture asking for reviewers for her website, so I thought I’d give it a go. I then also started reviewing for Mind the Blog and Jonathan Baz, and after a while, decided to go solo and create my own blog. I have a degree in journalism and have always loved writing and the theatre, so combining the two felt obvious.
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 my own website, From Page to Stage, at the end of 2018. I’ll be honest, I’m terrible at coming up with names, but my site includes reviews of books and theatre shows, so I thought the name summed up my main interests!
What kind of shows do you cover, and in which geographical areas?
I cover all kinds of shows, including plays, musicals and comedy, across both the West End and Fringe. I primarily review in London, but I also live in East Anglia and so cover Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich. There’s some great theatre happening here.
How would you describe yourself (reviewer, critic, content creator, YouTuber, influencer, other)?
A theatre reviewer. I’ll never be an influencer!
Why do you continue to engage with theatre?
I love theatre! It’s a great way to switch off from the outside world and forget about your own problems, especially when real life feels a bit bleak. It gives you the chance to put your phone down and escape for a few hours, get lost in something and go on an emotional journey. I love how different it can be. I’ve experienced all kinds of emotions watching theatre, from sobbing like a baby to hurting from laughing. It’s one of the few places where you can feel all of that in such a short space of time.
What’s the one thing that would make the theatre reviewing/content creating space easier for you personally, and/or for your platform?
A lottery win and a time turner! Living outside of London means a trip to the theatre can be pricey, and I’m sadly seeing a lot fewer shows now because of both the cost and the time it takes. Like many other reviewers, I work full-time, so it’s not always possible to see everything I’d like to.
Do you have a favourite show – and any you particularly dislike(d)?
Musical-wise, I adore Come From Away. I never tire of seeing it, and it’s such a lovely reminder that there is good in the world, even during the darkest times. It think it’s a really important show, especially with some of the hate we see in society today. I also love Amélie, Romantics Anonymous, Fun Home and, more recently, Operation Mincemeat. Play-wise, A View From the Bridge with Mark Strong is one of the best things I’ve ever seen – I left the theatre shaking.
The theatre commentary space is wide and diverse – is there any other female reviewer/content creator you would recommend, and why?
I have to give a shout-out to Emma at Love London Love Culture and Deborah from Mind the Blog, as they gave me the opportunity to get into reviewing. I also think Ellie Talks Theatre is well worth a watch – her videos are really considered and entertaining.
What’s the biggest change you have noticed in the theatre space since you started contributing to it?
The biggest change I’ve noticed is how many more voices there are now in reviewing. There’s a lot more variety in who’s reviewing theatre and how they’re doing it, and it feels much more accessible than when I first started.
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?
Nowadays, I’m most active on Instagram.
Can you pinpoint one of your best reviews, features or videos?
That’s quite difficult, because I’m very critical of my own work. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s my best review, but my review of I Am Of Ireland at the Old Red Lion Theatre stands out because it was the first time quotes from one of my reviews were used in the show’s marketing, which was quite exciting.
How can people contact you who want to promote a show?
You can contact me on Instagram – @kherrington83