A EU directive issued in 2007 promised - or threatened - that theatre producers who misleadingly quote reviews in show publicity material could face the threat of legal action, as reported in The Stage at the time. It hasn’t yet, as far as I know, yet been put to the test. But I may have just found a case that might work: leafing through the Guardian’s G2 today, I spotted an ad for Madame Zingara’s Theatre of Dreams - a show I am astonished to discover is still apparently running in a tent in the shadow of Battersea Power Station that I reviewed here.
They have understandably at least not quoted from that review, misleadingly or otherwise, but offer, in their display ad in today’s Guardian, one that offers this testimonial: “Delicious food, fabulous show, talented cast, all in all, an enchanted evening”; and it is credited to The Outside Organisation. Well, they would say that, wouldn’t they? They’re none other than the show’s London PR agency!
Yet, weirdly, on the website for the show itself, that same quote appears attributed to something called Reveal magazine. Now since I rarely scour the shelves of WH Smith for the latest magazines, I’ve had to actually look this one up, and discovered that it’s billed as a “celebrity magazine written by celebrities”.
So they’re obviously not entirely sure where that favourable review came from; but they’re clearly not in doubt that a PR’s own puff “review” can be used to endorse their own product. Another quote on the site is also attributed to one Penny McDonald: “The perfect night out - scrumptious food, a terrific show, impromptu dancing to end the evening… Heaven!” And where is McDonald from? The Outside Organisation! And a quick visit to The Outside Organisation’s own website informs me that she is no less than its managing director! Interestingly, though, her biography suggests serious journalistic credentials, too: “She spent 13 years as a journalist and section editor with the Telegraph newspaper group. Then it was on to consumer and contract magazine publishing where, along with shaping and directing many big titles, she launched, as Editor in Chief, Rupert Murdoch’s biggest read magazine, Sky. Before accepting the job at Outside, she was Editorial Director and a Board member at Publicis in London in charge of 12 leading brand titles.”
So, if you don’t get the quotes you want, you obviously make up your own, and by naming yourself as the source, you’re presumably in the clear. Or are you? Surely there’s an implied inference that a quote is independent, and not on the inside - even if, in this case, inside means being Outside.
It immediately makes me suspicious of the other quotes splashed on the homepage of the Madame Zingara site. There’s one attributed to someone called York Membery of the Financial Times, and even if the name sounds made up, there is indeed a York Membery on the FT website - but none that points to a review penned by that person of this show. Then again there’s a quote attributed to Lizzie Catt of the Daily Express: “A rare and exhilarating experience in opulent, intimate surroundings.” Her review is indeed online here, and though there are plenty of good quotes in the review - “Madame Zingara’s big top is to glitz what the Tardis is to unexpected elbowroom” is my favourite - but nowhere can I find the quote stated.
That’s surely as misleading as a misquote can be: to use entirely new words and still claim that they come from the same journalist. Now all we need is for some unwary consumers to state that they acting on these reviews influenced their behaviour to buy tickets to see it, and we could have a clear case of a show that falls short of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive.
Dear Mark
In representing the Theatre of Dreams for the past 2 years I can count on my one hand the number of bad reviews we have had. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I welcome constructive criticism with open arms, and understand the experience can not appeal to all.
I have one apology to make, and that is the use of Outside Organisations quote on our website and in the Guardian, it was a genuine oversight.
We invited a group of journalists to see our show in SA prior to launching the UK and the quotes referred to above are genuine. I will remove Mr Membery's quote as well as his article is as yet unpublished.
If you would like me to send you a full list of all the reviews received to date I am happy to do so, where I think you will conclude that the show has indeed been very positively received.
I would also like to extend an invitation to you to come back and see the show again. As with many opening nights, there are niggles and I feel confident that we have a product that is worthy of positivity.
Kind regards
Nicky-Anne de Beer
Head of Marketing, Madame Zingara group.
I'm starting to wonder if you are indeed the chap I met outside the tent on Press night, who was in such a strop before even getting through the door. You are like a dog with a bone and wont let go about MZ and her team of wonderful, loving, hardworking people. Why are you so determined that 100 odd souls lose their jobs, because .. in your own words...
a show I am astonished to discover is still apparently running in a tent in the shadow of Battersea Power Station that I reviewed here.
Why are you astonished that it is still going? I loved it. And many others have had a throughly great evening.have you taken the time to check all the reviews, not just your own?
Does that mean we are all completely mad?
I am as disappointed to read this negative view of Madame Zingara and Her Thatre of dreams, as I was when I read the initial review and neither accords with the altogether more positive experience, on all fronts, that I had of the show when I visited with colleagues last Saturday 10th January.
Our host for the evening, Kira, was as knowledgeable as she was enthusiastic and guided us through the menu and the evening's procedures with great attention to detail.
The precision of running the integrated food delivery from all the staff to all the guests in the sold-out venue was perfected, with the hot food served as such and everything tasted exactly as described both in the menu and by Kira.
The show itself was one of strong quality in terms of the circus acts, that were not described in much detail in Mark's review and were at least as good as their equivalents at Quidam that I saw earlier in the week and which Mark was more enthusiastic about in thelondonpaper (on 7th January p.3). Equally they were comparable with those I saw at La Clique in October, ironically usually operating in its own Spiegeltent, but now resident at the London Hippodrome.
That Madame Zingara has her Theatre of Dreams adjacent to Battersea Power Station admittedly makes it hard to be seen by passers-by, but is no less prestigious a location now, than it was when Cirque Du Soleil last brought Quidam to London in 2001 - in their tent to the exact same spot.
I have looked at a number of other reviews of Madame Zingara... in London (as well as from its native South African tours) from both food and theatre critics, since the show straddles the twin pursuits for a night out. Overall, the reviewers have taken the trouble to detail both the food and entertainment offer and have concluded that the event is both cost-effective and of good quality.
That the show scores well on both fronts is a double achievement, that neither Quidam nor La Clique (while both equally impressive in their own environments and on their own terms) even attempt.
I am writing my own trade review of the show where, in common with many of my colleagues in the consumer press, I will credit the participants including the acrobats for their specifically trained work, as it is central to the event, rather than dismiss them in vague terms and I will detail the lengths that the producers have gone to in the staging and lighting of the show to ensure that sightlines are maintained. This is before I get to the all-embracing ambiance of the event that is an unbroken performance from arrival to departure - possibly the real USP of the show.
This is no less than the professionals involved deserve, in a fair artistic appraisal of their commercially staged work, to be read by their peers in the business.
Desmond FitzGerald.
Wow Desmond, if ever a marketing department had sat around brainstorming positive phrases this is it !
I am glad you have managed to read lots of London reviews of Madame Zingara, I have been googling my ass off trying to find any from sources that usually review theatre and have found only one from a recognisable name, a two star review from Bruce Dessau in the Evening Standard site thisislondon. There have not been any good reviews from any major theatre or food critic that I have ever read before.
There have been lots of supposed customer comments on websites along the lines of "I would break every bone in my body and sell my mother for the chance to experience this most amazing of experiences, it has now eclipsed my wedding day and birth of my children in being my most precious memory."
Yes that all believable as being genuine feedback.
I have no gripe with Madame Zingara having not seen the show or known anyone that has but at least credit people with some intelligence to be able to spot planted comments from "customers" on the internet amongst an almost uniform silence from any established food or theatre critic apart from Mr Shenton.