Research Guides: Reference: Performance Reviews

What are performance reviews and how do I find them?

Performance reviews are critical articles or essays in which reviewers evaluate performances of a play or dance. Unlike other kinds of critical studies of drama or dance, the performance reviews usually appear within weeks of the performance and often appear in newspapers or magazines where the performance took place. Some things to keep in mind when looking for reviews of performances:

When did the performance take place?
Where did the performance take place?
Who was the director, choreographer or principal actor/actress/dancer?
What kind of production or performance is this? Locally hosted? National? International? Traveling production?

General Sources

The following indexes and full-text databases are important for finding reviews of performances for both theater and dance.

Nexis Uni (date coverage varies) This link opens in a new window
Search for [title of performance] AND [composer/creator] AND the word "review"

General Reference Center Gold
Index and some full-text to popular arts titles such as Variety, Backstage, and Time Out

Academic OneFile (1980 to present) This link opens in a new window
Index and some full-text to popular newspapers and magazines such as Dance Magazine.
Academic Search Premier (date coverage varies) This link opens in a new window
Index and some full-text to popular newspapers and magazines
Alt-PressWatch (1970 to present) This link opens in a new window
Index and some full text to alternative news sources in the U.S. such as The Village Voice.
Alternative Press Index (1969 to present) This link opens in a new window
Index and some full text to alternative news sources in the U.S.
Ethnic NewsWatch (1959 to present) This link opens in a new window
Full text ethnic newspapers and magazines in the U.S.

Theater

Nexis Uni (date coverage varies) This link opens in a new window
Search for [title of performance] AND [composer/creator] AND the word "review"

New York Times Directory of the Theater, 1920-1970. Some full-text theater reviews and an index to theater reviews in the NY Times. Frost Reference PN 1707 .S34 1973
A Guide to Critical Reviews: Part I: American Drama, 1909-1982, Part III: Foreign Drama, 1909-1977 Frost Reference PN 1707 .S34

For more titles like these, look in the online catalog for "Theater--reviews" as a keyword or subject search.

World Shakespeare Bibliography Online (1972 to present) This link opens in a new window
Includes annotated entries for books, articles, reviews, productions, and more.

oobr: Off-Off-Broadway Review
Online only reviews of theater performances off Broadway (current listings and reviews).
CurtainUp
An Internet theater magazine of reviews, features and annotated listings (current listings and reviews).

Dance

The Dance in Mind, 1976-1983 / Deborah Jowitt : Some full-text reviews of dance performaces, dancers, and choreographers. GV 1599 J66 1984.

For more titles like this, look in the online catalog for "Dance--reviews" as a keyword or subject search.