In Xanadu did Isaac Butler?

Got an offer for free tickets to Xanadu from a Broadway marketing company, in exchange for writing about the show. Rather than make a decision one way or the other, in light of recent events, I thought I'd throw open the question to you, dear readers. I kind of want to see Xanadu, in that I certainly don't think it's worth a lot of money to see, but it's supposed to be fun and if I have the time, I wouldn't mind seeing it. At the same time, I want to make it clear that there is an expectation there. And it's fairly clear, having talked to several other bloggers who received this offer, that it doesn't come as a result of anything specific about Parabasis other than in exists.

So here's the question... should i take the tickets?

Comments

[Aaron Riccio]

There is an expectation, yes. And they've chosen you because you'd be generating buzz because of the traffic you get here. (Something that you've already done, incidentally, by making this post.) Does posting something about Xanadu make you a media tool or publicity whore? I doubt it; I can't think of any instance in which (as an artist) seeing another person's work wouldn't be beneficial, if for no other reason than to say: "Oh man. Make sure I *NEVER* do that." Who knows? You might find something in the show that's genuinely worth talking about, and you would have the opportunity to focus -- in a way that critics can't always -- on that topic. I'm not sure why this is controversial, or why people feel bad about accepting tickets (unless it genuinely compromises your work).

[jaime]

If you want to see the show, take the tickets. Assuming you got the same invite I did, it actually explicitly says there's no expectation to write about the show. As a person with a blog, you're a person with a platform, and they're looking to generate buzz. Whether you write about it or not, they can safely assume that you know lots of people who see theatre, and that you like to talk about plays.

I really don't think it's a complicated moral question. Do you want to see the show? Then take the tickets. If not, then don't.

[Noah]

Yes. Even if you didn't want to see it, you should do it. Interesting experience, and a chance to be a semi-participant in a process.

[Working Group]

take the tickets. i mean, why not? all this fuss over bloggers and show-going is strange to me. free ticket or not if i get sent to a show im gonna talk about it- and ill be honest about it. i mean, shit!

im not gonna see xanadu even if you say it was amazing.

so enjoy yourself

[Alison Croggon]

I'm sure you know my answer already. It's no big deal. Take the tickets and write it up. As long as you're totally honest, there's no ethical problem at all.

[sashanaomi]

Take the tickets. It's a free show. Veen if it is awful, and you give it a bad review, just think that there's no such thinbg as bad publicity.

[freeman]

Go see it, tell everyone what you thought.

[Steve On Broadway (SOB)]

See it. As long as you're honest about your experience (which we know you will be), what's the issue?

[Adam]

I got an email too. I'm not sure if i want to see it or not, but if you're going, let me know when and maybe I'll go then too.

[Ted]

Take the tickets-

I for one would be interested in hearing your take on it.

[moxie the maven]

Yeah, I think everybody's overthinking the whole bloggers tickets thing. If you feel like seeing it, go see it. Write about it, or don't. If they're offering the tix in exchange for coverage, then write something, anything, honestly. If they don't specify their expectations, then you don't even have to write about it. I mean, it's not like you're taking a ticket to a show that would otherwise be sold out and screwing over the producer.

[nick]

But if Isaac decides to go with the comp, can he leave at intermission, or earlier, and still blog about it?

[Trevor]

Take the tickets. It's a good show, and it's short. What's the worst that could happen?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

[ronica]

I hope you took the tix.

[moxie the maven]

Nick, there is no intermission, problem solved!

[nick]

Thanks Moxie. Whew! Good thing. Those compound ethical quandaries are impossible to navigate.

I’d sit in the back row, aisle seat, ready to scoot if necessary. Like a whore in the back of the church. But I’d also find the whore easier to identify with than the reviewer.

The protocols and standards for press and reviewers attending theatre are just that, they have no ”ethics” attached to them. Bloggers need to develop define their own ethics about who, what, when, how, and why they write about theatre productions