When it comes to reviews, there was nothing I disliked more than reading a lengthy combination of words that would be made redundant by the image of a number of stars (or whatever shape the publication chose as their rating) as the main reason to read the review. When setting the site up I knew I didn’t want to include a rating system as this may have turned things into a debate more on the politics of reviewing theatre than the content of the show itself and the focus wouldn’t be on the positives but the question “but why was it not 5*’s?” and I didn’t want that to happen.
I have since become a frequent reader of reviews and the comments sections or responses to the reviews and found that the star rating was a clear decision on how enjoyable the show was. Words can be a bit vague or biased but a star rating is clean cut and definite.
I have spent some time thinking about whether or not to include star ratings on reviews. I didn’t want the site to become a place of negativity or rating, more an expression of what we as a community liked and didn’t like, in equal parts.
However, I think that a star rating is the only way to be clear and explicit when it comes to opinions. I have decided to include a star rating at the end of reviews, so the rating isn’t the focus but is something that can be found, should someone want to focus on that.
The star rating will look like this
And they will come just before the end of the review. If you want to see the rating please check there, but do read my reasonings first.
Ratings provided will never be done so in a way to cause harm or upset and is just my opinion. I don’t believe any show is perfect and I don’t believe any show is completely pointless so a 5* and a 1* is almost never going to happen. But I know that ratings in the community are important and provide clarity.
And of course, you are more than welcome to comment with different opinions or points to consider. This is a community, and it would be great to see other peoples opinions when it comes to favourite friday posts or reviews.
I just thought I would share this really short post, before my first review, to be completely transparent.
I hope you enjoy the first review, which will be published tomorrow!
Alyx Taylor-Scott
This is a very interesting topic for me. I can’t help but look at it from two different angels. From the perspective of me as a theatre maker and aspiring playwright but also from a business perspective.
There’s no denying that theatre reviews in general are a touchy subject for so many. A lot of the theatre community fail to see how a star rating or written review can truly capture the essence of the performance and if they can’t do that, why should that influence someone’s decision whether or not to see the show?
I know that if I had written a play and it was reviewed, I wouldn’t WANT to read them but I would HAVE to because it’s a human desire to want to be validated for your talents. I wouldn’t personally ever let a theatre review or start rating influence my decision to see a show. But I would read them because I find people’s interpretations fascinating, even if it’s not what I think.
Then there’s my business head. My last “real job” was as a customer feedback analyst for a big online company. It was my job to manage the customer feedback, increase the trustpilot scores and help the company learn from what the customers are saying. Feedback data of any kind is incredibly useful. If it’s good feedback then you can be proud of that and maybe include more of that. If it’s bad it’s an opportunity to take another look at things.
This company were mad about trustpilot. They put a lot of money and effort into making their star rating better than any other retailer in that field. They succeeded and it made them millions of customers.
I think the psychology behind star ratings is important to discuss too. There’s no denying it’s been wedged into our brains since we were little. The more stars the better it is. The more stars you get the better you are. It’s all about the stars.
I think that counts for so many businesses and industries – including the arts .
Hi Ben! Thank you for returning to StageSideUK! It is brilliant to hear from you. This is a very interesting perspective! What you write about is one of the arguments I had to battle myself.
There is of course the difficulty regarding universal understanding. I think it is important to find a balance between the need for a clear answer that is universally understood and the potential damage and psychological effects this may have. I myself, as a theatre maker, would often hate reading reviews but I knew that the number of stars given in a review matters to some.
Yes, even as children we are rewarded with points, stickers and stamps. The more, the better. A very interesting example you have given, and one I hadn’t considered until now.
I do like reading reviews, when aiming to understand people and how people view theatre. I enjoy reading reviews for that reason. However, sometimes a review can be overly critical. Here at StageSideUK, the aim of our reviews will be to explore themes, visuals and ideas in a positive or constructive way.
I suppose in regards to business, there are financial implications attached to products and their ratings. With a theatre show, however, I think this is different. I wonder if there are shows out there that have had a low rating and have therefore closed early?
Do you know of any Ben?
Again thank you for leaving a comment, and I hope you stick around for Act 2.
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Jonathan