The Stage

Broadway shows its respect for theatre critic Barnes

Published Thursday 20 November 2008 at 17:55 by Judd Hollander

All Broadway theatre marquees will be dimmed for one minute at 8pm tonight (Thursday), in memory of longtime theatre and dance critic Clive Barnes, who passed away yesterday at the age of 81.

British-born, Barnes was a fixture of the New York theatre scene for more than 40 years. He became the dance critic for the New York Times in 1965 and that paper’s theatre critic in 1967. In 1978 he became the chief drama and dance critic for the New York Post, reviewing for that publication until a few weeks ago. He was also a long-time contributor to The Stage.

“A true lover of the arts, Clive Barnes wrote his way into our hearts and popular culture. The Broadway community will miss his great style and talent,” noted Charlotte St Martin, executive director of the Broadway League, the national trade organisation for the Broadway industry.

Barnes was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth in 1975 and appointed a knight of the Order of the Dannebrog in 1972 by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. Married four times, Barnes is survived by his wife Valerie Taylor Barnes, a son, a daughter and two grandchildren.