1,210 posts
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Post by musicalmarge on Jun 23, 2018 7:53:44 GMT
Fringe theatre director Andrew Keates had created a Twitter storm and I’m interested what you all think.
His original tweet was to an amateur theatre company up north in Lincoln who he has been harassing due to their week long production of the King and I.
“I’m very upset to see yet another theatre company (albeit amateur) mounting a production casting East Asian roles with Caucasian people. They refuse to answer my e-mails and I’m asking my followers to please tell @caods to stop practicing”. #yellowface.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2018 13:28:29 GMT
Oh I missed this one!
It IS his current pet cause having led the Print Room charge. And in (broad) principle I support his stance.
However, this is a lot of time and effort to expend on an amateur theatre company, with a week long run. I full support contacting them and politely pointing out why it's not the ideal choice, but I feel that they probably did it in all innocence. It doesn't mean it's right doesn't mean they can't be educated but that seems a bit heavy handed?
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 23, 2018 13:48:26 GMT
Did he bother to contact the theatre company to find out what the particular casting was for this production?
Doesn't seem so.
He has made an assumption and decided to use that as the basis for his 'campaign'
Not professional and not fair.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2018 14:34:13 GMT
From reading the tweets (I'm avoiding work) he seems to be basing it off the promotional images the company put out (full disclosure I wasn't bored enough to seek them out)
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2018 17:20:31 GMT
I hope he’s checked his spelling before sending his letter off to Teresa May...
So... amateur societies shouldn’t have a bash at anything they can’t cast realistically?
I've never seen as Am Dram show properly cast. Not enough blokes, not enough youngsters, the middle aged woman playing Juliet, the slightly camp young man playing the thug, people who can’t sing, people who can’t dance, people who can’t act...
It’s one thing to suggest that if you can’t cast it, don’t do it in the professional theatre, but something else entirely to suggest the same rules for amateur dramatic and light operatic groups up and down the country.
Honestly!
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 23, 2018 17:29:16 GMT
I am sure the people of Lincoln will make their own minds up about whether or not to buy tickets for this show without ever being bothered by someone who they will never had heard of.
His postings have the air of a bully rather than a dedicated campaigner.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2018 17:52:53 GMT
With the greatest love for the world of performing arts, and the importance of encouraging minority representation...
I'd much rather our PM was currently concentrating on getting her sh*t together for Brexit and keeping an eye on what a certain US president is up to.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2018 0:26:36 GMT
If a local company is making people look Cantonese then it isn't right. But if they cannot find enough people of Oriental descent then they will not have an option to cast them. A lot of amateur companies have the same stalwarts year in year out so to get bespoke people in to play certain roles isn't easy.
With colour blind casting we cannot have it both ways. I fully support colour blind casting but it has to be within reason you wouldn't have a random black kid in the Von Trapp family in Sound of Music or a Random White guy in the Jackson 5 in Motown the Musical!
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1,210 posts
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Post by musicalmarge on Jun 24, 2018 6:43:30 GMT
And I thought that theatre was all about dressing up and not real!
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