How I Watch Theatre (So You Don't Have To...But You Should)

Cincinnati’s stages are buzzing right now—new work, bold revivals, scrappy storefronts, polished mainstages. When I review a show, I’m not writing a book report. I’m asking one question: Did the night in the theatre work—on me, on the room, on the story? Here’s how I break that down, and how you can sharpen your own theatergoing lens.

The World on Stage (aka “the set is a character”)

Before the first line lands, the set tells you how to watch the play. I look for choices that do more than look pretty. Does the world constrain the characters, liberate them, or quietly argue with them? Clue: if the scene shifts feel like momentum instead of furniture moving, design is doing story work.

Try this: When the lights come up, ask yourself what the room is saying—about time, money, class, memory. If you can answer that before anyone speaks, you’re in good hands.

Performances that Breathe

Great acting isn’t volume—it’s voltage. I watch for the moment an actor stops “presenting” and starts listening. Micro-shifts—how a hand drops, where a breath lands—tell me more than tears ever do. If the ensemble tunes to the same emotional key, even a familiar play hums.

Try this: Track when you start rooting for someone you didn’t expect to. That’s character work, not plot, converting you.

Direction with a Spine

A smart director chooses a single, clarifying question and answers it relentlessly. Period settings, modern dress, re-orchestrations—cool, but why now? If the concept turns the themes toward today (not just toward novelty), I’m in. If it’s clever for clever’s sake, I’m out.

Try this: After curtain, finish the sentence: “This production believes the play is about ______.” If you can’t, the vision may be foggy.

Light, Sound, and the Pulse of a Night

Lighting is the score you see; sound is the light you hear. I look for cues that guide the eye and deepen the beat-to-beat storytelling. A well-placed blackout is a period at the end of a sentence. A cheap swell is a highlighter on every line.

Try this: Notice when you lean forward. Was it a cue, a silence, or a shift in shadow? That’s craft steering feeling.

Themes that Land After the Drive Home

Good theatre entertains. Great theatre lingers—on the walk to the car, in the morning coffee, three days later when a line sneaks back in. I care less about message than resonance: identity, belonging, grief, joy, second chances. If a production trusts you to connect the dots, you probably will.

Try this: Name the play’s question, not its answer. Art built on questions travels farther.

The Audience is Part of the Cast

Every performance is a one-night-only collaboration between artists and audience. I clock the room: Are we laughing together? Holding our breath together? You can feel it—when strangers become a chorus. That charge is why live theatre beats streaming every time.

Try this: Take the temperature at intermission. If people buzz instead of scroll, Act Two is primed.

How I Score the Night (without numbers)

I don’t do star ratings. I ask: Would I send a friend? Would I take a newcomer? Would I see it again? If the answer to two of those is yes, that’s a recommendation. If it’s all three—run.

What You’ll See in “Shawn Says” Reviews

• A crisp opener with the show, theatre, and run dates.

• A spoiler-light synopsis (1–2 lines) to frame what matters.

• Credits that matter—directors, designers, and standout performances get their flowers.

• Execution over intention—what’s on stage beats what’s in the program note.

• Pull-quotes you can use—because great work deserves to travel.

Formatting note: In individual reviews, I italicize and bold show titles like Company or August: Osage County, and include “Get Tickets” details at the end so you can actually go.

Bottom Line

Theatre isn’t homework—it’s a live, communal art form that reflects who we are and who we’re becoming. My promise: I’ll meet every production on its own terms, champion the work that sings, and be honest (and specific) when it doesn’t.

Got a show opening? Send your press kit, performance dates, and a production photo with credit. I’ll see you in the dark—listening for that moment the room inhales as one.

— Shawn Says

The world of theatre is vast and ever-changing. By exploring reviews and engaging with the art form, we can become more informed and appreciative audiences. So, grab your tickets, immerse yourself in the experience, and let the magic of theatre unfold before you.