Theatre journalism is far from a new phenomenon; as long as there have been plays there have been those who have turned their pen to writing about them. Every broadsheet has pages dedicated to the most recent theatre openings and publications such as The Stage cover all aspects of theatre. What is missing, however, is a magazine about musical theatre written by young people for young people. Missing, that is, until now.
M. Magazine, a new online publication launched by a small group of young theatre professionals and enthusiasts on 18 October 2010, hopes to change the face of musical theatre journalism. It calls itself 'musical theatre skewed' and an exciting new twist is exactly what it puts on traditional musical theatre reporting. This is arts journalism as you've never seen it before.
M's editor-in-chief and self-professed 'Anna Wintour' Chris Clegg states that the aim of his editorial team was to create a magazine that is 'high-fashion, beautiful, glossy and fun'. Although the contributors admit that they do not have journalistic training or experience and the writing is not without its flaws, it is the overall concept and the strikingly different approach of this publication that is so refreshing.
Instead of the same established formats and conventions that readers of arts journalism have come to expect, M brings us eye-popping spreads and sexy photo-shoots and even dares to tiptoe across the line into the risqué. Its features unashamedly cater to our internet savvy generation, with the latest issue pointing readers to exciting finds on the web and favourite YouTube videos.
The fresh approach of M points the way for the future of arts journalism if it is to attract young people. Clegg and his team have created a publication that they themselves would want to read and encourage readers to tell them what they want to see in the next issue. There is no shortage of high-quality arts journalism, but it is rare to see writing about theatre that specifically targets a young audience.
One website that does dedicate itself to connecting with young theatregoers and giving us a platform to voice our opinions is A Younger Theatre. A recent article on the website attempts to diagnose the problem of why so many young people do not go to the theatre, something which may be attributed to a myriad of different factors. The root of the problem, however, lies at the level of fundamental attitudes.
Plays are rarely marketed to young people, creating a perception that theatre is aimed at an older section of the population, a perception only perpetuated by the media. To change such attitudes we need websites like A Younger Theatre and exciting new publications such as M which follow a format aimed at young people. Hopefully the success that M has enjoyed so far shows that this kind of magazine has an audience and will encourage others to follow in a similar vein.
Theatre journalism, as M demonstrates, can be fun, exciting and even - dare I say it - sexy.
Read the latest issue of M here.
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