About The Kael Report

The Kael Report began as a blog in 2024 — an experiment, really. To see whether readers would be interested in long-form writing about theatre in London and New York by someone with more than a passing knowledge of the form.

My decades-long frustration with the general state of arts criticism fuelled a desire to do something about it. The Kael Report was born as a mitzvah for the industry — and continues to be so.

I began working in theatre as a teenager, making my professional stage début as an actor. From there, I embarked on what has been a long and rewarding journey through the arts — performing in the West End, at the National Theatre, in regional and fringe theatre, and in the United States.

While working as a performer, I also maintained a side hustle — as most performers do — to keep the wolves from the door: freelancing as a journalist and contributing to publications including The Guardian. Living this dual life gave me a practical understanding of both the creative and the critical worlds.

Today, I serve on the boards of three arts organisations and am the former CEO of Stage Directors UK, which I led through its transformation into a trade union. All of which is to say that, while my views are inevitably subjective, they are grounded in sustained, hands-on experience.

Throughout my career — first as an actor, then as a writer, director, and producer — I often asked myself a simple question: what qualifications do those writing about my work have beyond, perhaps, a degree in English? In some cases, British theatre writers rely more heavily on an Oxbridge pedigree than on practical theatrical experience or genuine understanding; in the United States, their counterparts often hail from the Ivy League.

This realisation taught me to view criticism — both good and bad — with a generous pinch of salt. My work was rarely critiqued by peers, or by those with genuine artistic rigour; more often, it was judged by people who would not know stage left from a hangover.

Today, we also have so-called “influencers” and bloggers issuing pronouncements on theatre. Again, I ask: what qualifies them — beyond having appeared in a high-school production or two?

Of course, it is not impossible to be an excellent writer on the arts without being an artist. Pauline Kael, after whom The Kael Report is named, never made a film, yet she remains one of the greatest writers ever to engage seriously with the medium.

What set Kael apart was her deep understanding of cinematic storytelling, her incisive observations, wit, fearlessness, genuine fondness for the form, and above all, her quality as a writer. She elevated the discourse — and even when I disagreed with her, I always understood her position. Her work continues to make me think.

The Kael Report does not award stars. The star system works for the Michelin Guide because it has a clear and specific definition of what those stars represent. In the arts, however, it is largely a lazy and inconsistent shorthand — after all, what is the meaningful difference between a three- and a four-star production?

The Kael Report brings together three of my greatest passions: the arts, writing about the arts, and reflective thinking about the arts. Writing in public about work I care deeply about inevitably invites response — which we welcome. As one of my teachers used to say, “Anyone who presents work before the public will endure the opinions of others” — a sentiment that feels especially resonant.

As we relaunch as an online magazine, we are expanding our scope and inviting new collaborators to write beyond theatre, bringing you voices that stimulate as much as they entertain.

Whether your interest in the arts is casual, devoted, educational, or professional, we strive to offer you writing that is truthful, engaging, and insightful.

Thank you for being part of The Kael Report. Your subscription not only helps sustain independent arts writing, but also supports our philanthropic work. Each year, The Kael Report will partner with a charity to provide financial and practical support to help it take its next step forward. In 2026, we are proud to be partnering with the inaugural Windrush Prize — a new playwriting award for British Caribbean playwrights.

Happy reading, and thank you again.

Harold Finley
Editor / Founder