absolutely fed up with theatre casting wokery for the sake of it

[grumpyandiknowit]

I'm so fed up with every single theatre company and production house straining to make theatre that forces into everything DEI, LGBTQI, race and left wing politics.

Casting now disproportionately represents all minorities out of all comparison with the population. As an example, feels like every single play will have a least one transgender member of the cast and one who is using 'they' pronouns and one person with a visible disability. This feels like forced tick-box quotas to me even in the acting world.

I just saw that Jonathan Groff who I've seen on stage many times and I think is fantastic is going to be in the new RSC season so eagerly went to look and it turns out he is playing a female character Rosalind in an all male production of As You Like It. I really don't want to see that and I was so disappointed. I know that this was how productions were traditionally performed but that's not what this is about it is it? It's about being seen to be promoting DEI constantly without actually looking for the best actors for the role. I think the fact this is so noticeable speaks for itself. If you went to the theatre and all the actors were brilliant and there was no casting that jarred with the meaning of the play, you'd never notice.

I just want to go and see some normal classic theatre where constantly men aren't being played by women, women aren't being played by men and where the real themes aren't being over ridden by politics forced into the play by casting decisions taken not because of talent or ability but because someone wants to demonstrate how modern and woke their production is. All too often the impact on the story and the real themes of a classic drama isn't thought through.

Maybe I'm alone but I'm fed up with it.

I have loved the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe since my childhood and was so excited to see it on stage at the Bridge theatre a few years ago. I knew exactly what each character looked like from the books. So when an all-black cast appeared, every shred of magic disappeared and there were one or two actors who didn’t have the calibre for a West End show. Obviously we have to accept the casting of the six historical Queens in Six despite the inaccuracy. Anyway, it’s fine for others here to enjoy the creative, colourblind choices but we now check the casting. People voting with their feet as has been mentioned.

When I saw The Lion king, the Afro-Caribbean / black actors totally hit the spot.

Every shred of magic disappeared? Like the cupboard that leads to a land enchanted by a witch? Did that disappear? The Jesus-lion? The fucking talking faun?!

Not West end standard is no good but everything else you say is racism pure and simple. Just own it as such because you clearly don't care.

FYI nothing that happens on a stage is actually happening so if you need it to stick within the bounds of your own rather limited imagination I suggest you vote with your feet and don't go at all. Theatres were all still full last time I attended and I go monthly or more.

If you can handle a pair of talking beavers, I’m sure you can manage a Black White Witch or faun.

There was actually a 'photo negative' production where Patrick Stewart played Othello and all the other actors were black.
Anthony Sher around the 2000s hoped for complete colour blindness so again white actors would play Othello just as Adrian Lester played Henry V, say, and I agree with him.

Re Six, I think this can be accepted more easily though as it's not historically accurate at all anyway. And arguably if you were really going for accuracy Catherine of Aragon should be Spanish and Anne of Cleves German, neither of which are usually done.

Yes a black Iago does add an interesting dimension.

Inevitably the squeaky wheel gets the oil so we see a disproportionate amount of some groups which means some other less fashionable groups will be underrepresented.

• when they said LGBTQ people were overrepresented, was this primarily gay men/biologically male TWs, I wonder?

I don't think lesbian representation on TV is that high, let alone older characters- which ties into what you say re older women being ignored.

Def avpid Matthew Bourne. His male led Swan Lake is exceptional but I expect it will give you heartburn. He's twists up all his ballet of traditional stories. I'm sure it's his Romeo and Juliet that is in a prison like detention centre. Do you not read the details of what you're going to see? There's absolutely a place for these type of shows, it just requires people to check out the details and then make an informed choice.

it is ONLY the so-called under-represented groups we see

Is it really? You never see straight white men on tv any more? Better let James Nesbitt know. And David Mitchell. And Greg Davies. And Kit Harington. And Stephen Mangan.

Next you'll be telling me they don't actually crucify the white blonde lead actor every night in Jesus Christ Superstar.

You’ve got it arseways OP.

Trying to cast people according to the perceived/ generally accepted race of the characters would be “for the sake of it”. It’s the THEATRE. You’re already suspending disbelief in accepting a bunch of actors on a set in front of you that probably looks nothing like the place it’s meant to be are somehow living the story you are watching.

Whether the actors are black, white, male, female whatever is immaterial in comparison to all the disbelief suspending you’re already doing.

Casting people regardless of appearance is the default - trying to make them look like the characters is odd and “for the sake of it”.

You do know that originally female characters were all played by men right? (I’m assuming nearly every single pp has pointed this out!)

So much this!

What makes me laugh is people saying “oh Sam Ryder looks like Jesus” - he absolutely doesn’t! He has long hair and a beard. That’s not the same 😂

Absolutely. No accuracy at all in the blonde, blue eyed Jesus that western Christianity decided was how he looked.

My friends mum knew that was accurate as she'd seen his photo. You can't argue with that can you.