How a play is recieved can be studied by researching the critical reception of the playwright or play in addition to performance reviews. You can look for scholarly articles published shortly after the play was produced, or at different stages during the life of the playwright. To do this, limit your search to specific dates. Alternatively, use bibliographies about a playwright to hone in on relevant articles.
For example :
Eugene Ionesco : a Bibliography
Bibliographie et index thématique des études sur Eugène Ionesco
or
Harold Pinter : an Annotated Bibliography
Harold Pinter : a Study of his Reputation (1958-1969) and a Checklist
Key terms to use in searching indexes are "reception," "reputation," or "appreciation."
(arranged by dates covered, most recent first)
Arranged chronologically, oldest to most recent, this list includes both printed and online sources of reviews. For a more comprehensive listing of digital newspaper archives, consult our guide to newspapers.
How to Locate Reviews of Plays and Films: A Bibliography of Criticism from the Beginnings to the Present. By Gordon Samples. Metuchen: Scarecrow Press, 1976.