Perhaps Snark IS a Public Service ...

If we endeavored to write snarky reviews, at least then our constructive, negative feedback wouldn't be viewed as "decidedly ambiguous, bordering on academic non-commital."

(A review of a review.  Amazing.)

Granted, I probably should have sent Colin a private email regarding the "bitterness" of my review.  I guess I brought it on myself, really.

But let's take a look at some of the "decidedly ambiguous" things I said about Modern Drama, shall we?

"When the verbosity gets in the way of clarity, it's time to break out the red felt tip. Believe me, it's time."

Very non-commital on my part.

"It's as if Mr. Sterritt came up with a great idea for a play but didn't want to be bothered to actually write it."

Vague as hell, without a doubt.

"[...] it makes me wonder if the entire evening of theatre was some sort of overarching, meta-joke on the audience. If so, I wish we had been let in on the laughs."

I couldn't be more ambiguous if I tried.

Granted, these sentences turn up after the first paragraph of the review, unlike the clip Colin did print: "There are some very interesting ideas at the bottom of Mr.Sterritt's comedy, but he needs a few more drafts for those ideas to fully blossom."  I can see how, if he read no further, my take would appear "bittersweet".  In the future, I'll be sure to put "I LIKED IT" or "I DIDN'T LIKE IT" in easy to read 14pt boldface at the head of my reviews so as to save Colin the trouble.

Now we have a review of a review of a review.  You're not the only one prone to grouchiness, Colin.  Although in my case, it is admitedly more knee-jerk than perfunctory.