The Inevitable Backlash Begins/Continues

It is now, apparently, just as fashionable to hate on Sarah Ruhl as it is like her plays. Count me usually in the liking her camp.

As someone who at least likes one of Ruhl's plays (that would be Euridice, I don't have boatloads of experience with the other two currently making the rounds of theaters in the US) I must say that what i find galling is the tone that these reviewers take with people who disagree with them. One must be shallow, or have no taste, or be not-particularly-culturally adept or whatever if one likes Ruhl. I often find this tactic in reviewing unfortunate, as it tends to make me less likely to hear the reviewer out.

I will also say... I think some of this is fueled by Ruhl's extraordinary recent success and with the ability of the New York Times (and specifically Charles Isherwood) to help cause it. If that is the case, I wish more reviewers would just do as David Cote has done in the past and directly mention that that's part of what's angering them.

Comments

[Adam]

yeah. it alwasy happens. Same thing is happening to diablo cody whose film i have not yet seen. i think Ruhl is very talented but she is not making perfect plays. No one is. and response to hype gets ugly.

[Troubador]

It's fair enough to take issue with the tone of those reviews, but to imply the reviewers are being "fashionable" is also questionable.