A news story in theatre industry bible The Stage this week reads like a call to arms. The artistic director of London’s Yard Theatre warns that cuts to arts reporting are making it more difficult for theatres to get their work reviewed. Jay Miller added that, without good criticism, the quality of culture would suffer.

Hang on, does this mean that I’m playing a part in the demise of theatre? As a one-time reviewer should I sharpen my HBs, throw a fresh top-spiral notebook into my satchel and set about rescuing Britain from cultural decline?

There’s much to consider; for one thing I didn’t fully appreciate theatre critics have the power of X-Men. (And X-Women) and that “The health of theatre criticism has an explicit and really important relationship with the health of our arts and culture.”

I’d always considered that theatre’s relationship with reviews was, well, variegated. Sure, a great review is adored - but what about when a play is treated in much the same way as Lincoln when he turned up at Ford’s Theatre in Washington?

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The playwright Neil Simon’s mixed experiences with critics suggests what I’d long assumed. Simon was struggling during preview runs of The Odd Couple until one reviewer suggested he........

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