Michael Billington



Profile:


Full name: Michael Billington

Area of interest: The Theatre

Journals: The Guardian

Email: [mailto:michael.billington@guardian.co.uk michael.billington@guardian.co.uk]

Website: Guardian.co / Michael Billington

Blog: Comment is free...; The Blog Art & Architecture: Michael Billington

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Biography:
Education:

Career: Joined the Guardian as theatre critic in October 1971 Current position/role: Theatre critic


 * also writes/has written for:

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Disclosures:

Viewpoints/Insight:
 * Simon Callow reviews State of the Nation, The Guardian, 10th November 2007
 * The reviewer reviewed: We all love seeing our work praised, but I most relish the well-aimed critical arrows. Honest, 6th November 2007

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Books & Debate:

 * Harold Pinter OCLC150848059, 2007

Latest work: State of the nation - British theatre since 1945 OCLC163616670, 2007

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Current debate: 

The Guardian:

 * no column - reviews, blogs and occasional comment

Column remit: Theatre reviews / analysis

Section:

Role: Theatre critic

Pen-name:

Email: [mailto:michael.billington@guardian.co.uk michael.billington@guardian.co.uk]

Website: Guardian.co / Michael Billington

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Regularity: regular review / irregular comment

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Articles: 2009

 * The Oliviers have snubbed Hare, Branagh and theatrical adventure - Ignoring Gethsemane and Ivanov's leading man in the nominations is sheer stupidity. Where is the acknowledgement of risk and excitement? - 3rd February 2009
 * West End business booms, but at what cost to classic plays? - TV reality shows and musicals may be boosting West End sales, but to the detriment of many a masterpiece from our proud theatre heritage - 27th January 2009
 * The lame, the weak and the godawful - As the BFI launches a David Hare season, the writer tells Michael Billington why the BBC is visionless, why great drama is hard to find - and why critics of The Reader are misguided - 19th January 2009
 * Curtains for theatre programmes? Never! - The internet can't replace this treasured tradition. Their pages unlock memories of past productions with a Proustian vividness - 14th January 2009
 * 2009: a new cultural resolve - There were potholes in my cultural experience of 2008, but at least I experimented without becoming trendy, and I will do better next year - 31st December 2008

