Shaking our heads at ST reviewers

Today, I finally read Monday's review of Blood Binds which the show I was in, Just Late, was part of. While slightly disappointed that my performance was described as "unconvincing", I wasn't altogether too surprised, and take it as a learning experience. However, the next thing Ms Tan said amused me plenty: "...whose Hokkien vulgarities were delivered much too daintily". Considering "kao peh kao bu" was the only remotely coarse Hokkien I ever uttered in the play (moreover, used in the context of trying to hush someone who was yelling rather than as an expletive), I was muchly amused. I say "fuck" (in English) three times in the play, but that's the only swearing I do.

This is a very small thing, but was another reminder that all this recent hoohaa about ST arts reviewers doesn't really stem from any new sentiment.

Only earlier this month, an ST reporter who will remain unnamed printed a non-review article in Life! which contained some inaccurate information which were personal details about a friend of mine. Nothing terribly serious, just enough to have us chuckle a little and shake our heads. Hence, when the OTOT review (and half-assed retraction) turned up a couple of weeks later, I'll bet I wasn't the only one thinking it was only a matter of time before a big enough booboo got printed to illicit real anger. And in this case, it wasn't just about inaccurate facts, but being inethical and irresponsible...and just plain dumb - how did he expect to print it without opening a can of worms?

I don't always blame reviewers for getting details wrong. It feels like a slight on the part of performers but it's often harmless enough to ignore. However, sometimes downright stupid and irresponsible mistakes are made, and you wonder why it didn't occur to the reviewers to check in with the theatre companies for factual accuracy. This is unforgivable, considering that most reviewers are well-acquainted with actors, directors and theatre marketing contacts. And it's plain common sense that you don't comment on something you didn't even watch the bulk of. It's like saying The Sixth Sense is about the difficulty of being a child therapist.

Artists aren't exactly the most valued professionals on the island, but we're certainly among the most outspoken. If you stick your foot in your mouth in this industry, you'd better expect to chew it too.