#FreeFatherTed

[Glinner]

Some of you may know that the Father Ted Musical is currently being held hostage by Hat Trick and Sonia Friedman Productions. They want me to remove myself from the show because of my legally-protected gender critical beliefs. I see today that our old producer on Father Ted, Lissa Evans, is running into the same problems in the equally-captured publishing industry.

I wonder if the women of Mumsnet might consider writing to Jimmy Mulville at Hat Trick and Sonia Friedman at SF Productions and telling them to stand up for their artists in the face of this bullying and intimidation. The Cass report is about to vindicate us all, the Allison Bailey trial revealed the homophobia at the heart of Stonewall, yet these companies are amplifying the abuse we face by pretending there is substance to it.

Please do write and tell them to #FreeFatherTed. And while you're at it, buy anything by Lissa Evans. She's a cracking writer.

To: [email protected], [email protected]
Dear Ms Friedman and Mr Mulville

I have been alarmed to read that you are trying to force Graham Linehan out of the production of Father Ted The Musical, apparently on the grounds that he holds gender critical beliefs.

This seems so implausible that I think I must have misunderstood, so should very much welcome hearing your account of this.

Gender critical beliefs are, of course, protected in law. If you were to try to force someone out of a production for holding GC, it would be akin to sacking a creator because they were, eg, a Muslim, or because they were pregnant or had a disability. Is this something that you would do or that you would condone?
If not, please could you confirm:

• what exactly it is that you object to about Mr Linehan's expressed beliefs;


• how you apparently consider these beliefs to be so abhorrent that they justify you trying to force him out of your production of FTTM or (as I understand it) refusing to let him produce FTTM in conjunction with other producers and in another theatre; and


• whether you consider it an important part of your own respective roles in theatre to undertake censorship of the views of authors/creators/playwrights/lyricists etc, particularly when those views are not even the subject of the production in question?

I very much look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely

Careful now

Hopefully the letters work and hat trick will have to shuffle forward with a public apology about how the musical was just resting in their account

Happy to add my support.

thankyou I can use this as a guide

🤣🤣🤣

That would be an ecumenical matter.

Nothing says, "I'm cynically using women's rights to make a point about something else" like misspelling 'misogynistic'. You tool.

Arrahh go on go on go on go on GO ON.

You Graham, Lissa and all the others will be vindicated and found to be on the right side of history. I'm so sorry for what you are being subjected to by Hattrick. I gladly offer my support and will email.

solidarity x

It has come to my attention that you are attempting to bully Graham Linehan to distance himself from the production of Father Ted The Musical, apparently on the grounds that he holds gender critical beliefs.

I find your actions deeply disturbing and hard to believe that you would treat your artist and colleague in such a damaging way. Gender critical beliefs are protected in law.

Would you try to force someone out of a production because they were, eg, a Muslim, or because they were pregnant or had a disability? Is this something that you would do or that you would condone?

I sincerely hope that you will reconsider your stance and at the very least apologise to Graham and stop this unfair behaviour. Are you aware of the current tribunal case of the Barrister Allison Bailey who was stonewalled by her Chambers because of her gender critical beliefs? I am confident that Allison will win her case giving Graham, Lissa Evans and the many other creative artists currently receiving threats, intimidation and blacklisting in the performing and publishing industries the green light to seek justice. I am certain these brave individuals will be on the right side of history and now is the time for you to reflect and distance from the trans rights activists who have captured so many of our institutions and businesses through incorrect interpretation of the EHRC guidelines and laws.

I look forward to hearing from you with your reply.

Hope my small voice of support helps the cause.

I will definitely write. It's disgraceful what they're doing. They'll find you're on the right side of history soon enough.

Done! Thanks for the guidelines/templates.

Father Ted is my all time favourite show, I was really looking forward to the musical but DO NOT bend to these assholes Graham, how dare they think they can push out the talent and steal the credit!

Sent an email to them also

DisgustedofManchester · 06/06/2022 14:44

Your misgynistic beliefs are also legally protected. Its not the badge of hobour you lot claim it is.

What's a 'badge of hobour'? I'm genuinely curious.

Just pmk so I can send later. As one of the first to really speak out I think we should all try and support this, those that have followed no longer appear to get themselves cancelled so easily, this is only because of the sacrifice of those that came before them.

Absolutely agree.

🤣🤣🤣

Just bumping this, it is always those at the front that get hit hardest.