Welcome to Speak the Speech

 “Speak the speech as I pronounc’d it to you, trippingly on the tongue” —Hamlet, 3.2

 
Welcome to Speak the Speech.
 
If you’ve read any reviews on All Edinburgh Theatre in the last year by Rebecca Mahar, hello! That’s me. Speak the Speech as an independent arts and theatre criticism blog, designed to expand the scope of my arts writing and engage with productions and events in Edinburgh and beyond. 
 
This doesn’t mean I’m leaving Æ; on the contrary, I’m launching this new venture with the kind support of my editor there, Thom Dibdin. I’ll still be reviewing for Æ, and sharing those reviews here as well. Creating Speak the Speech means I can offer additional coverage to shows being reviewed by another member of the Æ team, as well as events that might be outside our general scope, or in other locations. 
 
In addition to reviews, Speak the Speech may play host to longer form content, such as informal articles and discussions of artistic practice; book reviews, interviews, news & previews, and supplementary deep-dives of productions as companion pieces to pithier reviews.
 
If you’d like to get in touch on behalf of yourself, your show, or your company to arrange any of the above, please email me at hello@rcmahar.net! You’re also welcome to send me a DM on Instagram, Facebook, or Bluesky. As mentioned, I am based in Edinburgh, but open to travel, and covering a wide variety of production/event types.
 
What don’t I review?
 
·      Shows produced by University of Edinburgh student societies. As I am currently both a PhD candidate and a teacher at this university, and frequently work with many of these societies and the students in them, I view this as a conflict of interest. I am however more than happy to offer previews, interviews, and promotion to these shows.
·      Most stand-up comedy. Feel free to pitch me your show if you’re very keen and feel I’d be a good fit, but this isn’t an area I engage with much. 
·      Concerts/live music in standing-only venues.
 
Up to this point, I’ve been writing with the assumption that you’ve seen my work before, or otherwise know who I am. So, for those not familiar with me or my work, who am I? 
 
I’m an Alaska-born, Edinburgh-based theatre critic and multi-hyphenate theatre artist, educator, and scholar, with a few awards under my belt. I’ve been working professionally in theatre in my various specialisms since 2009, and relocated to Scotland in 2023 to pursue my PhD in European Theatre at the University of Edinburgh. Currently in progress, my thesis focuses on aspects of Celtic identity, influence, and interpretation in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1. You can learn more about my artistic work, including current and upcoming projects, on my website.
 
A whistle-stop tour of my credentials and areas of specialty:
 
·      Master of Fine Arts degrees in Acting and Lighting Design from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
·      Semester Diploma in Classical Acting from LAMDA
·      Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) degrees in Theatre and History from the University of Alaska, Anchorage
·      Fight Director, stage combat teacher, stage combatant (Advanced Actor-Combatant, Society of American Fight Directors)
·      Intimacy Director, Coordinator, and educator in Consent-Based Practice 
·      Lighting Designer (principally theatre & dance); Head Electrician, Technical Director
·      Teaching Artist
·      University educator (lecturer, guest lecturer, tutor, teaching assistant; course design & development)
·      Dramaturgy
·      Shakespeare and other classical theatre
·      Puppetry and creature movement; puppet design/construction
·      Singing (musical theatre & classical)
·      Professional affiliations: SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, Equity (UK), SAFD, USITT, British Shakespeare Association, Shakespeare Association of America, UCU
 
…and then some, including training at various levels in costume design & construction, set design & construction, rigging, painting, stage management, directing, dialects, circus/aerial arts, motion capture; you get the point. I’ve trained in and worked at a lot of disciplines, which doesn’t make me an expert at everything, but does give me an exceptionally well-rounded perspective and deep knowledge of theatremaking. 
 
All this means that I approach theatre with deep love and empathy, and my criticism is informed by a holistic perspective that seeks to champion and celebrate, while also offering fair and balanced commentary. 
 
Thank you for being here. I hope to write about your show soon.