Breaching the Fourth Wall

It only takes one post to know that David Cote is a theatre veteran.   Throughout his blog, Histriomastix, I am reminded of many a headset conversation with fellow crewmembers during less than engaging productions.  His dry sense of humor, irreverence, ego, and proper appreciation of a well-placed expletive all strike me as characteristically theatrical.

Published author and freelance writer for periodicals as varied as The New
The New York Times to Maxim.   His self-proclaimed love for Indian food, blasphemy, and alternative historical fiction immediately struck a chord with me, and his eccentricity and audacity as a writer punch to the forefront of websites centered on the New York City theatre scene.

David Cote does not worry about appearing controversial or confrontational, and in fact, may even relish it.  His avatar, a cartoon of himself in Elizabethan garb, is upstaged only by the drawing’s prominent middle finger, sending out a warning to readers that Histriomastix will not be a strictly academic or analytical blog, and those people who are easily offended need not read any further.  The tagline below the site’s header is “sound and fury from a New York theatre critic,” furthering the idea that rippling the pond should be the expected norm in his blog.

Beyond merely having a flare for the controversial, Cote seems to enjoy riling up his readers, especially if it leads to a strong reaction.  In “Catechism on a Hot Tin Roof”, a lengthy segue from theatre which touches on the author’s views on religion we get the idea that this site is meant to spark dialogue, not a one way diatribe. Capping off his hot post, Cote finishes by summarizing, “I don’t tell people they can’t believe, they can’t worship and they can’t try to convince other people of their beliefs. Much as I logically and ethically deplore religion, I don’t do that. I may ridicule, cajole and make sweeping rhetorical gestures.”  I’m sure these words were penned knowing that they would lead to the outcry of comments in response.

Histriomastix stands out from other sites that employ the same incendiary tactics, because it is clear he respects his readership.  Although he comes across as extremely opinionated and set in his ways, he dutifully and thoughtfully responds to each reader comment without the condescension that leads to a loss of credibility.  Such behavior is indicative of professionalism towards his readers despite differing viewpoints, and for that he earns my admiration.

For all of the debate fostered at Histriomastix, Cote maintains his image as a respectable theatre critic through well-developed reviews of New York City based productions and updates about the goings on of theatre companies and major awards.  His analysis of the 2007 Tony Awards and how the success of its broadcast versus other television programming that night and its correspondence to the role of theatre in American society was particularly notable.  The peppering of posts recommending which shows are worth seeing (and the lists are fairly comprehensive), one gets the sense that Cote is sees a lot of live theatre and has enough experience to speak authoritatively on the topic.

The design of Cote’s site furthers his image as a theatrical authority, especially concerning any New York City based productions.  His main page includes a healthy list of links to websites for artists, theater festivals, venues, news, and blogs.  The page’s layout emphasizes content: there are no large visual distractions on the page, and the large, black on white posts make text easy to read and  maintain the same visual that might be viewed at sites of accepted news authorities like the New York Times or Wall Street Journal.

Beyond being both controversial and content-driven, I enjoy reading this site because the language is entertaining while still having something to say.  Anyone who can use the transition “speaking of fucked up families” and have it segue into a coherent piece of writing deserves praise.  Posts with titles like “When the Fat Blogger Sings,” a post about hybrid theatre/opera productions further adds to the wittiness factor of the site, and reminds readers that Cote may be opinionated, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously.

All in all, Histriomastix is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in theatre, even if they are not familiar with or interested in the New York City theatre scene.  David Cote develops his online identity as one that jives with the theatrical types who might be visiting his blog.  Opinionated, controversial, but not without sense of humor, a reader gets a clear and consistent understanding of Cote’s persona throughout his posts, and although his voice may drip with a bit of sass and irreverence, Histriomastix is a worthwhile journey into bloggerdom.