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Michael Billington at the Edinburgh Book FestivalDateline: 18th August, 2008In order to promote his recent book about post war theatre and its place in society, State of the Nation, Michael Billington gave a public interview to Al Senter before a packed house on a Sunday lunchtime. The discussion started with the Guardian critic's early life in Leamington Spa, conveniently placed within reach of Stratford. There he enjoyed his Shakespeare, despite starting at a very tender age with Titus Andronicus, and retained particularly fond memories of the major actors whom he saw, especially the future Lord Olivier. Billington also has a great fondness for the comedians of his youth, generally seen on holidays with cricket grounds in the vicinity, and particularly the pairing of Jewell and Wariss. He then explained how his first opportunities to test out his critical faculties came at Oxford where he managed to offend Ken Loach with a harsh appraisal of an early work. From there, the early working years included time at the Theatre Royal Lincoln both in PR and as a director, before becoming a journalist on The Times and for the last 37 years, The Guardian. He is delighted to have enjoyed a wonderful life and considers himself to be continuing a tradition that might have started with Hazlitt and peaked with Shaw and Tynan. The Billington aesthetic is to link theatre to the wider society and his book fits perfectly into that context. In particular, after favouring Rattigan over Coward, at least post-war, he referred to the 80s when Lord Lloyd Webber proved an exemplar of Thatcherite virtues. Ultimately, a critic is more than just the man who got the blondes in All About Eve. He or she is someone who is able to witness and comment on great performers but, more importantly, believes that plays change you. It is therefore the critic's job to be there as sensibilities are rearranged and report on those unforgettable occasions. Despite having reservations about the West End with its plethora of musicals at the moment, it is great to report that Michael Billington is firmly of the belief that theatre has a bright future, despite the competition from other more passive forms of entertainment. The audience lapped this up and asked a number of intelligent questions before what one hopes was a long and lucrative signing session. Philip Fisher
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