The Critic Counts: Archiving Theatre Criticism Down Under
ARC Discovery Project DP260102365
Chief Investigators: Professor Chris Hay (Flinders University), Dr Charlotte Farrell (UNSW), Dr James Wenley (Victoria University of Wellington)
Critical writing about theatre is under threat. The Critic Counts addresses this by creating a sustainable, open-access archive of theatre criticism in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The project recovers and preserves the critical record from 1955 to 2025, providing an invaluable resource for understanding how national theatre cultures have developed—and whose voices have shaped them.
By focusing on the figure of the critic, the project reframes theatre history from the perspective those who have mediated its consumption, documenting new perspectives on cultural evolution and representation. Outcomes include detailed case studies on the role and evolution of critics, a searchable directory of critical writers, and enhanced preservation of national cultural memory through digital access.
Research aims and methodology
The project provides an historiographic investigation of pre-digital to post-digital theatre criticism in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. A data audit examining historical and contemporary reviews will inform the development of an innovative technology piece that builds upon the existing digital infrastructure of AusStage, the Australian live performance database. This will enable new digital methodologies for the analysis of theatre criticism.
Research impact
This project asks pressing questions about cultural memory in the digital age: What constitutes the cultural record? Who is writing it? How is it preserved and accessed? In the face of the degradation of online resources and disappearing archives, The Critic Counts develops innovative digital frameworks to ensure long-term preservation and accessibility of theatre criticism.
The research strengthens key national databases such as AusStage—inscribed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register—and enhances data harmonisation with Theatre Aotearoa, building a trans-Tasman strategy for cultural preservation. Digital tools will uncover forgotten or marginalised critical narratives, including the contributions of Indigenous critics, evolving gender perspectives, and shifts in trans-Tasman critical cultures.
These initiatives safeguard Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand’s critical heritage, providing a foundation for future research and the continued vitality of national performance cultures.
Dr Farrell’s role as CI on this project will draw on her expertise in affect theory as well as queer and feminist theatre and performance in Australia, to examine the role of women and gender-diverse critics. She will also investigate how critics have articulated and accounted for the affective impact of performance over time.
Chief UNSW Investigator
