To be offended by this word in a children's play?

[amammabear]

My kids are currently taking part in Elf the musical, and one of the lines has Buddy the Elf singing "making toys is so fantastic that I shake until I'm spastic!".

Now I'm really struggling with this, I have a condition that causes muscles spasms myself (developed as an adult) but I grew up under the impression that "spastic" isn't considered appropriate any more. Before I raise it with the theatre group, I wanted to know what others think.

My children aren't singing it, only Buddy, but my parents agree with me that it's not appropriate and my Mum thought that if even one person in the audience is offended, it could be harmful to the groups reputation. So, AIBU?

That's awful!!!! So offensive, yanbu!

No...not good.needs to change

I'm amazed they haven't changed the wording.

It's in the script that the children have brought home to learn. I asked my DC if that word has been changed when they've been rehearsing it, (they usually make changes BEFORE copying it and sending it out though) DC says not, but I can't take that as gospel, they may have not been paying attention. I'm not annoyed at the group, just worried it could cause them problems.

I'd suggest "elastic" instead. Still makes sense and rhymes but much less offensive!

Please contact the director as soon as possible. They need to re-call the scripts, pronto.

A) It's horrible, and B) It doesn't make sense anyway. Spastic is still a perfectly legitimate term for a form of cerebral palsy, but it causes muscle stiffness- kind of the opposite of shaking.

You should just email the director, they've probably got a facebook page

Not appropriate in my view, and doesn't even make sense.

... I shake like I'm elastic .... as Hesterton suggested^^ scans really well, and rhymes better than frantic.

I think I'll have to. I was hoping that I'd read too much into the situation because of having a condition causing muscle spasms myself, but I am worried that others could hold it against the theatre company.

Spastic is still used as a medical term, but it definitely wouldn't consider it appropriate in this context.

Definitely not ok.
It might not have offensive connotations in the US, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be changed here in the UK, where it clearly does.

It's not a historical play using offensive words in context of speech that is representative of the time it is depicting - so it is unnessary and should be changed.

I am always shocked by use of the word 'retard' and 'retarded' in some US comdy shows I have seen, but accept they are filmed and they won't be filming a different version for the UK. A live show is totally different.

Definitely inappropriate in the UK, but pretty widely used in the US I think, I quite often flinch watching american films now.

Holy shit, I clicked on your thread, idly wondering to myself what some over thinker was getting in a flap about now. Apologies - that is totally not on.

I know that, unfortunately, the word spastic isn't an offensive one in the USA (some American vloggers have been caught out and had to apologise for offence caused to British and other. On American viewers)..

I think a suggestion to the director, of I shake like I'm elastic would be the best way forward. Can't see how the script has been passed/rehearsed and not changed!

Frantic. Tell they have to change it to frantic.

It's still casually slung about in the US even on kids' TV as a mild insult, along with spaz (I remember seeing an episode of Bratz where one of the characters use the term, I was a bit gobsmacked... although that series also had "breathe down to size zero"...)

Wow! YADNBU. Ask the directors to change it.

Horrible! YANBU at all.

Is it a school theatre group?
I'd be surprised if it is because if so it is very inappropriate. We send children to the Head for 'a chat' for that. The same as if they had said a racist word.
I would point out that many people find it inappropriate/ upsetting and it isn't PC! Please tell them I would.