Everyone's A Critic

Legendary American actor who starred in the film adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire. Poppy claims she once sat next to Brando on the Concorde.

“It was made into a movie starring Marlon Brando. This gave the play a very personal relevance to me, as I once sat next to Mr. Brando on the Concord.”— Poppy

Czech-born British playwright known for intellectually rigorous works like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Niles suggests they catch his new play.

“Oh, oh, and then catch the new Stoppard play.”— Niles

American playwright, author of A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Niles asks to borrow Frasier's Tennessee Williams biography to prepare his re…

“I was hoping you'd lend me your Tennessee Williams biography.”— Niles

Italian coloratura mezzo-soprano, one of the most celebrated opera singers of her generation. Niles scores front-row tickets to her sold-out concert.

“My God, it's for the Cecilia Bartoli concert! My God, they've been sold out for months.”— Frasier

American composer, conductor, and pianist who led the New York Philharmonic. Niles defended Bernstein's conducting at a party, winning the arts critic job at Th…

“The pretentious fop who had the job before me was there too, spouting sheer drivel about Leonard Bernstein...he referred to Bernstein's conducting as 'overrated.'”— Niles

Ludwig van Beethoven, the towering German composer. Frasier plays his music to impress Poppy, who helpfully points out that Beethoven was deaf.

“Divine Beethoven. Extraordinary, isn't it?”— Frasier

A plucked string instrument popular in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Frasier played a lute as a child, though Martin dismissively calls it 'that funny li…

“Dad, it was called a lute!”— Frasier

A fictional upscale arts magazine distributed to wealthy apartment buildings and hotels. Niles lands the position of arts critic for The Monocle.

“I simply phoned the box office and said this is Niles Crane, the new arts critic for 'The Monocle.'”— Niles

Small, low-power binoculars used for viewing performances at the opera or theatre. Niles proudly shows off his opera glasses for the Bartoli concert.

“I'll have to take a damp cloth to these opera glasses, although I don't know what will we use them for, sitting in the front row?”— Niles

Tennessee Williams's 1947 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about the fragile Blanche DuBois. Frasier and Niles both attend a revival to write competing reviews.

“That revival of 'A Streetcar Named Desire' opens tonight.”— Poppy

One of the world's best-known theatre companies, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Niles brags about attending a party for the RSC.

“Olga and I were up till all hours at a party for the 'Royal Shakespeare Company.'”— Niles

George Bernard Shaw's 1923 play about Joan of Arc. Niles's review of St. Joan earns him a quote in the newspaper.

“It's in an ad for 'St. Joan': 'Incandescent,' Niles Crane, 'The Monocle.'”— Niles

The Anglo-French supersonic passenger airliner that operated from 1976 to 2003. Poppy mentions sitting next to Marlon Brando on the Concorde.

“I once sat next to Mr. Brando on the Concord and we had a very lovely chat.”— Poppy