Terf - the play at the Edinburgh Festival

[Grammarnut]

What is going on with this play on the Fringe? The playwright says he has had death threats. He also says he would like JKR to see the play but he wouldn't want to meet her, but his play is balanced on this controversial topic. He also says he chose the name 'Terfs' for the play because of the behaviour of some of those who hold GC views.

Thread here:
www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4993459-edinburgh-arts-group-to-launch-play-about-jkr-called-terf-ct-where-daniel-rupert-and-emma-stage-an-intervention?reply=137258316

He also says he would like JKR to see the play but he wouldn't want to meet her

I'm sure she's wiping away her tears 🙄

JKR, if you're reading, I don't care if you see a play but DD and I would really like to meet you.

I heard him I think on bbc R4 or LBC - he seemed desperate for publicity. Claimed his mother has received death threats. Was rather gleeful about that aspect. Made me think how full of male privilege he was wanting to use his freedom of speech and expression to shut down women’s.

It got a shit review in The Guardian if it’s the same one I’m thinking of. Good.

Hi, Thanks for this! I looked for a thread but could not find one - missed this somehow! I thought one was worth starting.

I think he’s a bit upset that, despite really really trying to drum up business for his play, people are still not filling up the venue. If it had been well written and worth seeing, it would have been sold out especially with the amount of pre-publicity most could only dream about. It’s just not worth people’s time and effort when there’s better stuff out there.

Must be bad if even the Grauniad gives it a shit review despite its TRA credentials! 😂

He originally called it 'Terf Cnut' spelt properly.

I think he needs to look at his own behaviour before trying to call out anyone elses.

He is free to put the play on, and people are free to choose not to watch it.

It's a morning show which seems to be selling poorly - 40 odd tickets for first shows in a 350 capacity venue. The much anticipated (at least by the playwright) protests appear to have been some light tutting during the show. It's been described by critics and those who've seen it as 'over long, needs an edit, a bit shit really'.

The Fringe Festival has something like 3,000 acts this year - the programme is an absolute tome. Every year, in order to stand out from the crowd and sell tickets (most shows make a loss), there's at least one 'controversial' show.

There’s a great exchange between Julie Bindel and the playwright about his play. He hasn’t done his research basically.

"Death threats" my arse.

When are these wankers going to learn that their opponents are more civilised than they are and don't resort to this sort of behaviour when people disagree with them?

JKR, if you have time between writing bestselling novels, providing rape crisis services in Scotland and seeing defamatory plays about yourself, I'd love to go for a drink with you.

Do you have a link?

Jkr could sit on stage doing nothing more than drinking a cup of tea and she'd sell out this venue every single night. And then she'd most likely donate all the money to something worthy.
And I don't believe this numpty has received anything more than an eyeroll and a few "what a twat!"s. It's ludicrous to claim his mum has received death threats from terfs. She's more likely to have got consolotary touches on the elbow and knowing looks. What an embarrassment 😳

I think that the play’s original title cannot be pointed out enough: it says everything we need to know about its writer.

I’m laughing at him saying that he wouldn’t want to meet JKR: he’s still quaking in his boots after Julie Bindel wiped the floor with him.

I saw that. She completely demolishes him. As others have said he is craving for publicity but his 'edgy' play is seen as the equivalent of a toddler running into a room full of adults and shouting 'bum' before running out laughing hysterically.

It often costs a fortune to put stuff on during the fringe. That venue will need paid for regardless, although it’s cheaper for a morning slot. Tbh being £££s out of pocket and slide back to obscurity is probably for the best. Possibly a good time to take stock and re evaluate.

I'd rather see the toddler tbh

I would also be interested in a link.

JKR recently posted a holiday pic - it looks like she's staying somewhere very beautiful. I initially assumed it was somewhere like Switzerland or Canada, but some of the responses suggest it's one of the Scottish lochs. Anyway, wherever it is, I suspect she's had the sense to get out of Edinburgh while the idiotic play is on:

https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/1818662484556804300/photo/1

Observations about the play:

1. It seems to be getting mostly three-star reviews - even the Guardian didn't like it much.
2. The 40-50-strong audience (in a 350-seater venue) was for the opening show and if it's anything like other openings it was probably mostly journalists and friends offering moral support. Wouldn't be surprised if audiences have fallen since then.
3. It was only running for a week anyway, so after that it will fizzle out and I imagine everyone will forget about it.

I’d guess Argentina myself. Definitely too much snow for a Scottish mountain in summer.

Was it this on YouTube?

Edited to say: this is the Julie Bindel and Joshua Kaplan debate.

Yes

Just watched that.

She really does wipe the floor with him, doesn't she?

Most teenagers are more articulate than that. It's like he's a 15 year old being grilled by his English teacher who knows he didn't read the book his essay is about but just skim read Spark Notes.

And the patronising claptrap at the end about how he had to remove the word "cunt" from the title because he realised the British public just wouldn't "get" what he was trying to do.

We get it, Joshua. That's why your silly little hit piece is going to be a total flop. Even the Guardian couldn't bring themselves to give it more than two stars.

I think it's very telling that this play was written by an American man and that he couldn't find a single British actress willing to play either JK Rowling or Emma Watson. Even in the arts sector, where most people will have preferred pronouns and say TWAW, and which is teeming with young actors who struggle to pay their bills and are looking for their first break, no British actress wanted to touch this with a bargepole.

There's a reason for that.

It's the same reason that the comments under the line on every article about JK Rowling are full of people saying, "She is right."

Josh Kaplan should stay in the UK for a bit, get out of his New York echo chamber, learn a little bit about British politics. Maybe then he'll understand how stupid he and his compatriots look when they say that JK Rowling of all people is in bed with the far right.

It was only running for a week anyway, so after that it will fizzle out and I imagine everyone will forget about it.

Oh, it's scheduled to be on for more than a week. August 5-7 and 11-25. Tickets still available for any day in its run.

Hope its backers have deep pockets.

He really thought he did something didn't he?

The tide is turning, high time the MRA and TRA's caught up with that.