Letting the Cat out of the bag: help us reinvent theatre criticism
This week, the Guardian is embarking on an experiment. How do we apply our principles of open journalism to theatre reviewing? What would happen if everyone in the audience shared their views of a performance – as well as the critics? Is it possible to have a conversation about a show for the duration of its run and beyond, rather than just on the first night? And might the most interesting and passionate discussions be happening not in the West End, but in local communities around regional theatres?
In an attempt to answer some of these questions, we're partnering with the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, where a new production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, starring Zoe Boyle, above (Downton Abbey's Lavinia Swire), and Jamie Parker (Brownlie in Parade's End), opens on 6 October. We'll be covering the show from many angles, starting with Michael Billington's take on Tennessee Williams's play, and a behind-the-scenes look at rehearsals. We will review the play, more than once – and want you to, too. We'll be hosting a web chat with Boyle and Parker, a video of the dress rehearsal, an interactive audio guide to the Mississippi accent, and much more.
Later this month, there will be a Guardian readers' night at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, with discounted tickets and a post-show talk by one of our critics about the play, at which everyone in; the audience will be encouraged to tweet and post their views afterwards. In the meantime, our critic Lyn Gardner will be posting a guide to reviewing for the unsure and inhibited; we'll also be blogging the whole process throughout the month. We hope you'll get involved.
What would you like to see in this series? Tell us in the comments below.