Listening to theatre companies, they’ve never needed theatre critics more. Listening to them after a bad review, they’ve also never resented them more. This strange dance of mutual need has been going on since the first time someone recited dialogue on stage, and someone in the next day’s paper wrote "it doth sucked, verily." But what of that relationship today? Do critics matter? Can anyone with a blog call themselves a theatre critic? Are critics there to serve theatre companies or readers? (John Law)

See the complete article by media journalist John Law in the Niagara Falls Review about his recent participation in the two-day colloquium ‘The Changing Face of Theatre Criticism in the Digital Age‘ organized by Professor Karen Fricker of the Department of Dramatic Arts on the occasion of the special visit by Jill Dolan, Annan Professor in English, Professor of Theater in the Lewis Center for the Arts, Director, Program in Gender and Sexuality Studies, at Princeton University, noted theatre blogger (thefeministspectator.com) and a Walker Cultural Leader for 2013-14.  Special guests J. Kelly Nestruck of The Globe and Mail and Richard Ouzounian of the Toronto Star joined local guests and luminaries including cultural leaders like Jackie Maxwell, artistic director of the Shaw Festival, and Steve Solski, director of the St. Catharines Centre for the Performing Arts.

The two day program began with the Friday morning public lecture, “Moving the Body Politic: How Feminism and Theatre Inspire Social Re-imaginings” by Professor Jill Dolan.  The lecture was presented in association with the Department of Dramatic Arts and the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies.

For a complete list of participants and more information please see the Brock News Article, the Department of Dramatic Arts and the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts web pages.

There event was marked by a remarkable and rich participation by members of the Niagara region and our international guests. Photos of the event may be viewed at the FB page of the Department of Dramatic Arts and tweeted commentary may be viewed at dartcritics.com .

The stimulating exchange of ideas and opinions in this "blossoming" cultural scene of Niagara (Professor Karen Fricker) were live-streamed at http://brockvideocenter.brocku.ca/videos/ and are now available (unedited) for viewing at:

http://brockvideocenter.brocku.ca/videos/video/516/
http://brockvideocenter.brocku.ca/videos/video/517/
http://brockvideocenter.brocku.ca/videos/video/518/