Jesse Green NYT's Critic's Pick review of "Prince Faggot" — Page 4

binau said: "I don’t think you can suddenly pretend that it is unfair to reduce the show by its title when it’s doing exactly what the artists are intending it to do. It is intentionally provocative and shocking. That is the point of it. It’s designed to an elicit a reaction, and well yes I’m giving you my honest reaction.

I think it’s homophobic, offensive to British culture, vulgar and low class.

How would Americans feel if Europeans wrote sexualised plays about Obama’s children with an offensive title such as ‘first slags’ or something. They would be outraged and so they should."

Bear with me -- are you upset about the title or the context of the title? Because, if you don't know anything about the play -- for arguments sakes, you just saw the title and no description about the plays contents or the context of the title -- would you still be upset by the title? (Aside from a personal dislike of a controversial pejorative.)

Is it the word -- which, together with Prince, could mean potentially any prince of a certain persuasion -- or the context it's used in, that upsets you? If we're strictly talking about titles, devoid of any context, it's telling if your mind went straight to that particular prince. It's a provocative title, but so was Shopping and F*cking.

Updated On: 6/24/25 at 05:40 AM

I’m not sure if this answers your question but let me know if it doesn’t - what upsets me is the use of the word faggot and the idea of speculating about the sexuality of and sexualising of a real life child (I assume it is about prince George because that is what people and the NYtimes are claiming but let me know if it’s actually completely fictional in which case fine, just get rid of the word faggot). The idea of writing a play about a fictional gay prince is not offensive and sounds like interesting material. 

If you’re asking what would I assume if I saw a play titled ‘prince faggot’ without any context, I wouldn’t immediately assume it was about a real life child because I wouldn’t have thought anyone would dare do such a thing. 

Updated On: 6/24/25 at 05:51 AM

I still think anyone who wants to strongly opine about a title and concept of a show should have a good understanding of the show prior to slinging arrows from the opposite side of the world. 
 

Sincerely,

A Proud American Faggot

Updated On: 6/24/25 at 08:57 AM

binau said: "I don’t think you can suddenly pretend that it is unfair to reduce the show by its title when it’s doing exactly what the artists are intending it to do. It is intentionally provocative and shocking. That is the point of it. It’s designed to an elicit a reaction, and well yes I’m giving you my honest reaction.

I think it’s homophobic, offensive to British culture, vulgar and low class.

How would Americans feel if Europeans wrote sexualised plays about Obama’s children with an offensive title such as ‘first slags’ or something. They would be outraged and so they should."

It wouldn't have been pretty.  And there would have been a lot of "pearl clutching" (to borrow someone's turn of phrase) on this very board.

Outrage is often very selective.  

 

 

I guess even the reliably anti-woke free speech advocate binau has to draw their line somewhere.

The slur ("pejorative" seems too weak a word) in the title is tough for me, too. I'm not sure why, though. Yeah, I hate the word. But the title of Larry Kramer's book doesn't offend me and never has (I'm not a fan of the book--but the title never "triggered" me in any way). Maybe because it came out when I was a kid and so was always "in the past" for me personally? I guess I'm saying I don't want to condemn this play for its title even though the title grates on me, personally. I find it a deeply unpleasant word.

binau said: "To be clear this would still fall within the bounds of what I'd consider free speech, I'm simply expressing my emotional reaction to these ideas."

Totally valid.

Show extended again. Now selling into the first weekend in August.

quizking101 said: "Jason Veasey will also be replacing K. Todd Freeman as of 7/27"

A sign this last extension wasn’t planned. So demand looks very high. 

I still bet Bway happens now. 

Phantom4ever said: "And for all you posters talking about people like me getting our shorts in a bunch or pearl clutching---to me you're just as dangerous as a Trump supporter."

LMAO 

Get a grip.

Do Trump supporters support gay kids?  Do Trump supporters care about gay kids--even one---even a famous one--getting bullied?   Well, neither do most of you. So this board has gone MAGA because it does not matter if one possibly gay eleven year old is going to feel victimized or get bullied because of this play.  Your right to see and enjoy the play is more important than his gay rights.  

Phantom4ever said: "Do Trump supporters support gay kids? Do Trump supporters care about gay kids--even one---even a famous one--getting bullied? Well, neither do most of you. So this board has gone MAGA because it does not matter if one possibly gay eleven year old is going to feel victimized or get bullied because of this play. Your right to see and enjoy the play is more important than his gay rights."

“This board has gone MAGA” should be the new BWW slogan.