So the CBC has published a story claiming that Toronto theatre reviewers were "unkind" to Anne of Green Gables - The Musical, which is in Toronto for a couple of weeks.
There I was girding myself for attacks on why I praised it and gave it four stars out of five--I'm an Anne fan and I don't deny it--and, out of left field, I'm held up as an example of a meanie Toronto critic who trashed it.
The irony of the whole thing is that theatre artists are always complaining, "You should get rid of the star ratings. People just look at the stars and don't read the reviews which are often a better indicator of whether they themselves will like the show," an argument I totally agree with. But here's a case where the rating has been discarded in the writer's attempt to dig up the dirtiest parts he can.
I've submitted this comment to the reader comments on the story:
I'm Paul Gallant, the critic who wrote the review for Eye Weekly that is quoted here.
I've always laughed at movie adverts that take a review phrase like "an astonishing achievement in boredom" and turn it into "Astonishing achievement!" For the sake of a sharp headline--and presenting Toronto as a snobby place, I guess--this CBC piece has done the opposite, quoting 50 of the most negative words--the only negative words, really--of my 670-word mostly positive review.
I gave Anne of Green Gables - The Musical four stars out of five, which is a far more important indicator of my feelings about the play than the qualms quoted in here. Please check out Eye Weekly's website to read my full review.
I read your review and was surprised how the CBC misconstrued it. I couldn't make it to Toronto to see the show myself, but as a lover of Anne, I imagine that I would have enjoyed the show.
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