To think Black Out nights in theatre ARE important

Say there's a play about domestic abuse and gaslighting, a very difficult one to watch because the male actor is brilliant (perhaps from experience as a child, hopefully not that he's actually abusive himself in his intimate relationships) at portraying the body language, the swings in sound from quiet to towering over the other actor and bellowing at the top of his voice. You're surrounded by blokes who are there to be seen as worthy or for entertainment.

You then exit the auditorium and hear loud men who were fiddling with their phones, eating crisps, constantly getting up through the performance to go to the toilet and making others get up to facilitate them talking about how she was provoking the male actor, how it's not really like that, that it's what it used to be like in Victorian times, but no respectable man would ever do that in reality now and it's women who are abusive. They're not moving out of your way, they're occupying all the space and drowning out the quiet distress of the female theatregoer who didn't think it would affect them that much, but seeing it on stage, the visceral reaction to the performance meant that she needed people around her to have an understanding of her distress that she's trying to hide because well, that's what you do, you hide the fear, the abuse, the threat. But she's surrounded, her personal space intruded on, by people who aren't her ex/her father behaving similarly in it not affecting them, that was then, it wouldn't really happen like that, it's not that bad, that was boring and too worthy, adding selfies to their Tinder profile so any woman swiping by will see that they're Good Guys (TM), completely oblivious. And if she mentions it somewhere on social media, maybe somewhere like Mumsnet that she'd have preferred an all female audience, she'll be inundated with NAMALT, Not My Nigel, Have you considered therapy, See a doctor, you're just a Misandrist, etc.

That's why.

"the purposeful creation of an environment in which an all-Black-identifying audience can experience and discuss an event in the performing arts, film, athletic, and cultural spaces – free from the white gaze,”

Wasn't exactly what you said there now, was it.

The fact you had to change it up a bit means you know you're wrong.

It's not racist that a group of people wish to get together and experience something that effects them, no.

You really need to look at why you're so upset about this (I already know the answer).

"Nobody is being excluded" of course not, legally, but the intention is there and you know it!

"A West End theatre production about race, identity and sexuality in twenty-first century America will be exclusively performed for a white-only audience on certain days to protect them from "the black gaze".

☝️ but this stated in the media would immediately be racist to black people, would it not?????

"Nobody is being excluded" of course not, legally, but the intention is there and you know it!

"A West End theatre production about race, identity and sexuality in twenty-first century America will be exclusively performed for a white-only audience on certain days to protect them from "the black gaze".

☝️ but this stated in the media would immediately be racist to black people, would it not?????

Wrap it up any way you want, but it’s exclusion and we all know it.

"Nobody is being excluded" of course not, legally, but the intention is there and you know it!

"A West End theatre production about race, identity and sexuality in twenty-first century America will be exclusively performed for a white-only audience on certain days to protect them from "the black gaze".

☝️ but this stated in the media would immediately be racist to black people, would it not?????

Nobody is being excluded, some people are asked to be mindful of a minority group who may wish to have a shared experience for a couple of nights.

Where's the racism?

My initial instinct is that it’s divisive, or at least the way it’s being deliberately marketed is. I think a message that’s particularly encouraging one group to attend is fine, but on this occasion they’re simultaneously asking another group not to attend (although they won’t actually bar them if they turn up). That’s the bit that sits somewhat awkwardly with me.

I’ve been reading all the views carefully here as I’m keen to properly understand the opposing view. I’m well aware that I may not be understanding all sides fully. There have been some really interesting comments, which have been helpful and quite enlightening in helping to see things a different way.

Also, what I struggle to understand is why slavery is considered to be a black issue when many white people were enslaved too? And why are people today so affected when it’s described as “ancestral” - and many people may not even know if their own ancestors were slaves?

And with all that in mind, why would a black audience need a space away from white people? Unless the suggestion is that white people today are still being held accountable for ancestral crimes? I can think of many examples where an exclusive space for black people might be necessary, but I can’t see how this is one?

Im certainly not trying to say “white lives matter” and I hope that isn’t how it comes across! I’m just trying to understand what I’m missing.

For context, I’m autistic and sometimes miss the obvious so just want to emphasise my questions are genuine and well-intentioned, if maybe stupid 🫣

Asking white people not to go feels the opposite of uplifting black people which many people have said is the point.

There have been some really useful comparisons on this thread re single sex spaces.

My example - if was a play that was directly relevant to the autistic community it would be great to see a real drive to encourage autistic people to attend. And I’d expect the show to amplify autistic voices, and feature performances from autistic people. I wouldn’t expect neurotypical people to be discouraged from attending, nor explicitly told to book tickets for another night. I think that’s maybe my issue with this - possibly it’s the marketing that I object to? I absolutely understand the need to encourage more diverse audiences and to emphasise that the theatre is for everyone. I’m just not sure that excluding another group is the way to do it.*

*I know white people wont actually be turned away but the marketing basically ask them not to come.

Yes we are..where are we on the bbc news, the houses of parliament (both houses), only 16% of white working class boys go to university against 32% of black working class boys.
Since Labour killed the grammer school system...white working class social mobility has died
Listen to radio 4 how many Indian names do you hear working behind the scenes? Where are the captain mainwearings, the Alan Bennett's? Boys who worked hard and pulled themselves up both functionally and really

No it's not racist. Asking a group to go another of the many, many nights for the comfort of a minority group isn't racist at all.

You think white, British working class people are under represented? 🤣

No, it really is!

Jesus!!!

No, it really isn't.

Wrap it up any way you want, but it’s exclusion and we all know it.

It is tbh.

No it's not racist. Asking a group to go another of the many, many nights for the comfort of a minority group isn't racist at all.

You think white, British working class people are under represented? 🤣

No it's not racist. Asking a group to go another of the many, many nights for the comfort of a minority group isn't racist at all.

You think white, British working class people are under represented? 🤣

No it's racist. "Lets have a whites only night" yeh like anyone is ever going to say.

I come from a white working class West country background...apart from "outlaws" on BBC when do you ever see me portrayed on tv. Less than 1/2% of my school year went to university....I'm seen as what the yanks call a redneck. I open my mouth and I am a yokle...there ain't theatre nights for us...