Clive Barnes (critic)

Clive Barnes (born May 13, 1927 in London) is an Oxford-educated, colorful writer and broadcaster, whose career has been long and prolific. He is the chief Dance, Drama and Opera critic for the "New York Post".

From 1965 to 1977 he was dance and/or theater critic for the "New York Times", the most powerful position he has held, since its theater critics' reviews historically have had great influence on the success or failure of Broadway productions.

Barnes has been the dance and drama critic at the "New York Post" since 1978, and is senior consulting editor at "Dance Magazine", where he writes a monthly column, "Attitudes". He also continued to edit and write for British newspapers such as "The Times" and the "Daily Express", and the weekly "Spectator" magazine.

Barnes is the author of numerous books related to theater and the performing arts, particularly dance. These include four volumes of "50 Best Plays of the American Theatre", nine series of "Best American Plays" (with John Gassner), "American Ballet Theatre: A 25 Year Retrospective" (with Elizabeth Kaye), "Masters of Movement: Portraits of America's Great Choreographers" (with Rose Eichenbaum), "Ballet in Britain Since the War", "Frederick Ashton and his Ballets", "New York Times Directory of the Theater", "Ballet Here and Now", "Dance Scene USA", "Inside American Ballet Theatre", as well as biographies of Tennessee Williams and Rudolf Nureyev.

Regarding television, Barnes said, "It is the first truly democratic culture, the first culture available to everyone and entirely governed by what the people want. The most terrifying thing is what people do want" ("New York Times", December 30, 1969).

He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975, and appointed a knight of the Order of the Dannebrog in 1972 by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.