Piece Comment

Review of To Comfort Or Provoke: The Necessary And Complex Role Of Theatre In Our Chaotic World.


Ms. Maxwell is well spoken and well versed in theatre language, but here she gets to the topic a bit late, that is if I follow the title too closely. The lecture is personal and will only resonate with theatre lovers. There is wit in her lecture, but not translatable to newcomers of theatre. I don't suppose, however, that this lecture was meant for an audience who were not aware of Ms Maxwell's work or the Shaw festival, but in this case, it has stepped out of the auditorium and is no longer projected to a specified audience. The piece appears to be more of Ms. Maxwell's take on her life and her work.
I don't think it's fair to compare, but Michael York's lecture, while having a personal touch, had more universal value in its lesson. I personally don't like to hear words like 'baleful' on radio, but that's just me. In summary, if you look for a commentary on the title, you may be disappointed. But if you like what Ms. Maxwell has to offer from her experience, you may like it.