This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/nov/05/guardian-theatre-critic-michael-billington-to-step-down

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Guardian theatre critic Michael Billington to step down Guardian theatre critic Michael Billington to step down
(about 1 hour later)
Editor-in-chief Katharine Viner hails the ‘extraordinary’ career of the celebrated critic who started at the newspaper in 1971Editor-in-chief Katharine Viner hails the ‘extraordinary’ career of the celebrated critic who started at the newspaper in 1971
After almost 50 years and some 10,000 reviews, Michael Billington is to step down as the Guardian’s chief theatre critic. Billington, who was hired by the then Guardian editor, Peter Preston, in 1971, has been virtually a daily presence in the paper through decades of different broadsheet designs up to today’s tabloid and digital formats. His incisive reviews, with their rich historical sweep, keen eye for detail and socio-political context, plus the odd judiciously deployed pun, have made him one of the world’s most respected arts critics. After almost 50 years and some 10,000 reviews, Michael Billington is to step down as the Guardian’s chief theatre critic. Billington, who was hired in 1971, has been virtually a daily presence in the paper through decades of different broadsheet designs up to today’s tabloid and digital formats. His incisive reviews, with their rich historical sweep, keen eye for detail and socio-political context, plus the odd judiciously deployed pun, have made him one of the world’s most respected arts critics.
“It has been,” says Billington, “a huge privilege and pleasure to write about theatre for the Guardian for the past 48 years. I have, however, decided to step down from the job of daily reviewing. I shall shortly be 80 and, with the years, the stress of writing to a deadline doesn’t get any easier. Giving up will be a wrench but I feel now is the right time to do it.” Billington believes he has been “tremendously lucky” to cover British theatre at a time of “extraordinary richness when playwriting especially has been more fruitful than at any period since the Elizabethan era”.“It has been,” says Billington, “a huge privilege and pleasure to write about theatre for the Guardian for the past 48 years. I have, however, decided to step down from the job of daily reviewing. I shall shortly be 80 and, with the years, the stress of writing to a deadline doesn’t get any easier. Giving up will be a wrench but I feel now is the right time to do it.” Billington believes he has been “tremendously lucky” to cover British theatre at a time of “extraordinary richness when playwriting especially has been more fruitful than at any period since the Elizabethan era”.
Billington began as the Guardian’s theatre critic in October 1971, just as the paper raised its cover price from 4p to 5p and the headlines were full of the British parliamentary debate to join the European Community. His first review, of a thriller by Francis Durbridge at the Fortune theatre in London, began with a wry observation: “The conventional stage whodunit is about as exciting as a vicarage parlour game.” Billington guessed that most audiences at the Fortune would figure out the criminal early on, but “the dramatic excitement lies in watching the net slowly closing in on the smug, smooth protagonist”. He quickly established himself as a critic with a brisk style and formidable knowledge, his vividly argued reviews full of an infectious passion for theatre and constantly attuned to what a play may say about the era it was written in – as well as what it can tell us today.Billington began as the Guardian’s theatre critic in October 1971, just as the paper raised its cover price from 4p to 5p and the headlines were full of the British parliamentary debate to join the European Community. His first review, of a thriller by Francis Durbridge at the Fortune theatre in London, began with a wry observation: “The conventional stage whodunit is about as exciting as a vicarage parlour game.” Billington guessed that most audiences at the Fortune would figure out the criminal early on, but “the dramatic excitement lies in watching the net slowly closing in on the smug, smooth protagonist”. He quickly established himself as a critic with a brisk style and formidable knowledge, his vividly argued reviews full of an infectious passion for theatre and constantly attuned to what a play may say about the era it was written in – as well as what it can tell us today.
Katharine Viner, the Guardian’s editor-in-chief, said: “I’ve been reading Michael’s writing for as long as I can remember – the insights, flair and depth of his writing have been essential to my understanding of theatre for decades, as it has for so many Guardian readers. The ‘Billington review’ is a vital moment for any new production, as eagerly sought out by readers and rival critics as it is by performers and directors. Michael’s run as the Guardian’s chief theatre critic has been extraordinary. I am delighted that he will continue to write for us regularly, and I’d like to thank him on behalf of hundreds of colleagues, and thousands of readers, past and present, for everything he has brought to the Guardian for the past 48 years.”Katharine Viner, the Guardian’s editor-in-chief, said: “I’ve been reading Michael’s writing for as long as I can remember – the insights, flair and depth of his writing have been essential to my understanding of theatre for decades, as it has for so many Guardian readers. The ‘Billington review’ is a vital moment for any new production, as eagerly sought out by readers and rival critics as it is by performers and directors. Michael’s run as the Guardian’s chief theatre critic has been extraordinary. I am delighted that he will continue to write for us regularly, and I’d like to thank him on behalf of hundreds of colleagues, and thousands of readers, past and present, for everything he has brought to the Guardian for the past 48 years.”
The Guardian’s Arts editor, Alex Needham, said: “It’s been a joy and a privilege to work with Michael, unquestionably the pre-eminent theatre critic of our times. I’d like to thank him for five decades of wonderfully insightful, funny and scrupulously perceptive reviews.”The Guardian’s Arts editor, Alex Needham, said: “It’s been a joy and a privilege to work with Michael, unquestionably the pre-eminent theatre critic of our times. I’d like to thank him for five decades of wonderfully insightful, funny and scrupulously perceptive reviews.”
Born in Leamington Spa, Billington saw his first Shakespeare play (Troilus and Cressida) at Stratford-upon-Avon when he was eight. He would return many times as a young man, watching actors such as Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud and Edith Evans. Raised in a “mildly bolshie family”, he attended Warwick School and Oxford University, where he acted and directed but also discovered a “pronounced gap between the working-class scholarship boys, of whom I was one, and an upper-class set who possessed an ease, social assurance and braying lung-power that I both envied and cordially detested”.Born in Leamington Spa, Billington saw his first Shakespeare play (Troilus and Cressida) at Stratford-upon-Avon when he was eight. He would return many times as a young man, watching actors such as Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud and Edith Evans. Raised in a “mildly bolshie family”, he attended Warwick School and Oxford University, where he acted and directed but also discovered a “pronounced gap between the working-class scholarship boys, of whom I was one, and an upper-class set who possessed an ease, social assurance and braying lung-power that I both envied and cordially detested”.
After graduating he worked in publicity for Lincoln theatre company and in 1965 began writing for the Times, where he was deputy critic to Irving Wardle before he was recruited by the Guardian for what he called his “dream job”. Billington was 31 when he was appointed and had recently begun a family with his wife, Jeanine. Their daughter, Natasha, was born at the time of the 1969 moon landings. After graduating he worked in publicity for Lincoln theatre company and in 1965 began writing for the Times, where he was deputy critic to Irving Wardle before he got his “dream job” at the Guardian. He was recruited by Peter Preston, later to become the Guardian editor. Billington was 31 when he was appointed and had recently begun a family with his wife, Jeanine. Their daughter, Natasha, was born at the time of the 1969 moon landings.
At first, his reviews would often be phoned in direct to the paper’s night-time copy takers. Deadlines shifted over the years, with his daily filing time settling at 9.30am the morning after the press performance though he still files reviews “on the night” for hot-ticket productions, dispatching his verdicts on a laptop in the narrow window between the curtain falling on the show and the paper’s late edition being sent to press around midnight.At first, his reviews would often be phoned in direct to the paper’s night-time copy takers. Deadlines shifted over the years, with his daily filing time settling at 9.30am the morning after the press performance though he still files reviews “on the night” for hot-ticket productions, dispatching his verdicts on a laptop in the narrow window between the curtain falling on the show and the paper’s late edition being sent to press around midnight.
Billington’s many books include critical studies of Tom Stoppard and Alan Ayckbourn and biographies of Harold Pinter and Peggy Ashcroft. In 2007, Faber published his book State of the Nation: British Theatre Since 1945, which won the Theatre Book prize. It was fired by his “curiosity about the extent to which theatre was influenced by the political temper of the times and about the way it may even have propelled social change”.Billington’s many books include critical studies of Tom Stoppard and Alan Ayckbourn and biographies of Harold Pinter and Peggy Ashcroft. In 2007, Faber published his book State of the Nation: British Theatre Since 1945, which won the Theatre Book prize. It was fired by his “curiosity about the extent to which theatre was influenced by the political temper of the times and about the way it may even have propelled social change”.
For a 2015 book, he selected The 101 Greatest Plays, with choices from Aeschylus through to Mike Bartlett but without room for King Lear – outraging some readers and generating great debate. Billington has always said that a review is an opening salvo not the last word. The “101 plays” enterprise led him to believe that “a great play is both an expression of its time and open to multiple reinterpretations”. He also realised that, personally, he was “instinctively drawn to plays which display moral ambivalence, are rooted in close observation, blend the tragic and the comic and exude the life and energy that Baudelaire thought were the preconditions of any work of art”. Undoubtedly one of the longest-serving drama critics, Billington was appointed OBE in 2013 for services to the theatre.For a 2015 book, he selected The 101 Greatest Plays, with choices from Aeschylus through to Mike Bartlett but without room for King Lear – outraging some readers and generating great debate. Billington has always said that a review is an opening salvo not the last word. The “101 plays” enterprise led him to believe that “a great play is both an expression of its time and open to multiple reinterpretations”. He also realised that, personally, he was “instinctively drawn to plays which display moral ambivalence, are rooted in close observation, blend the tragic and the comic and exude the life and energy that Baudelaire thought were the preconditions of any work of art”. Undoubtedly one of the longest-serving drama critics, Billington was appointed OBE in 2013 for services to the theatre.
Billington will continue reviewing until Christmas and will be reflecting upon his career, alongside a selection of republished reviews from the Guardian archive. His successor in the role of chief theatre critic will be announced soon. In the future, Billington will continue to contribute regularly to the Guardian’s extensive stage coverage around the UK and beyond. He says: “I still passionately love the theatre and the paper and, in the gracious words of a colleague, this is the end of a chapter rather than the closure of a book.”Billington will continue reviewing until Christmas and will be reflecting upon his career, alongside a selection of republished reviews from the Guardian archive. His successor in the role of chief theatre critic will be announced soon. In the future, Billington will continue to contribute regularly to the Guardian’s extensive stage coverage around the UK and beyond. He says: “I still passionately love the theatre and the paper and, in the gracious words of a colleague, this is the end of a chapter rather than the closure of a book.”