Respecting Pronouns in the Spotlight: A Necessity for Theatre Critics

Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog Founder

This was originally published in the OnStage Blog newsletter on October 16th 2023. If you want to be the first to receive these exclusive commentaries and all newly published stories in your inbox, subscribe here.

I was recently alerted to a situation in Australia where local critics are boycotting reviewing a production of 'West Side Story' because the theatre had sent out a memo asking critics, among other things, to respect the actors' pronouns and list them correctly.

Critic Helen Musa stated that the memo appeared to "restrict negative comment" and was a “clear attempt at media manipulation."

She adds:

“In a long career reviewing theatre, this is the first time I have ever seen such a missive. It comes in the context of the company’s experiment in casting the famous musical’s Puerto Rican characters with purely Latino artists from the Canberra community. Given the danger that the experiment would not succeed, the “guidelines” looked like an effort to pre-empt and restrict negative comment, a clear attempt at media manipulation.”

Settle down, Helen. The memo was neither.

Let’s address the merits first, though, at a 50,000-foot level. As theatre continues to embrace inclusivity, critics must respect the pronouns of the performers. Pronouns are crucial for fostering an environment of respect, dignity, and understanding within the theatre community.

Imagine an actor who identifies as non-binary or transgender and prefers they/them pronouns. When critics and audiences fail to use the correct pronouns, it invalidates their identity. To critique their performance while ignoring or misusing their pronouns is disrespectful to the work they put into their show.

In an era where understanding and acceptance of diverse identities are still evolving, critics can help by normalizing the use of correct pronouns. This will encourage audiences to engage in conversations about gender identity and the broader social issues that relate to it. Inclusivity is a driving force in the industry right now, and critics must reflect this diversity by understanding the nuances of representation.

It’s a shame that some of the critics in Canberra, Australia, are too egotistical to do this.

Theatre critics have a responsibility to respect the pronouns of performers. It is a small yet important gesture that honors artists' identities and contributes to the advancement of theatre as an inclusive, welcoming, and progressive art form.

And maybe the problem is that most critics are too old or out of touch with the new standards in theatre.

As theater takes on modern issues, young critics, not tied to old ways, drop wisdom that connects with younger audiences. Maybe the problem lies more with older critics like Helen Musa and not a theatre that is trying to encourage equality and respect.

In any event, the critic boycott in Canberra is childish and idiotic. Any responsible outlet would replace these egos with writers who will do their due diligence to at least respect the performers on stage.