EU [not] OK With Misquoting Critics!

You think the NY Times is pissed at Scott Rudin for pulling quotes out of context? Well the European Union is apparently even more powerful. And in case you think there oughta be a law against such hucksterism in advertising shows, they've got one!

The legislation, which will come into force in December, will make it illegal to extract a positive word or phrase from a theatre review if that paints a misleading picture of the article as a whole. Lawyers are already warning that producers will have to be more careful in the future when using selective quotes in publicity material....

The law bars any advert that contains "false information" or any claim that "deceives or is likely to deceive the consumer" so that it "causes or is likely to cause him to take a transactional decision that he would not have taken otherwise".

Hmm. Of all the "transactional decisions" I've made in my theatre purchases that I "would not have taken otherwise" I'm not sure how many are due to misleading pull quotes.

The Stage's Mark Shenton offers a London perspective. Over to you, Mr. Rudin?

Hat Tip: Clive D.