Mystery of Edwin Drood

[Larcen26]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 11:51am

Hello everyone,

I have a question about The Mystery of Edwin Drood.  Having never seen it performed, I have a question about Neville and Helena Landless.  While the characters in the book are from Ceylon, it is never established that they are actually Ceylonese or if they are just British colonials.  I know that in the revival, Andy Karl and Jessie Mueller played it with accents and makeup, and pictures of the original lead me to believe they did the same.

My question is is it set up anywhere in the "Music Hall" bits that they are clearly not foreign actors, but are playing foreign characters?  

Or is it a case where technically they should be Indian/SriLankan actors but usually aren't?

[tazber]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 11:55am

They are meant to Caucasian actors playing Ceylonese in the Music Hall.

That is established by the Emcee when he introduces the acting troupe.

Updated On: 5/3/16 at 11:55 AM

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 11:58am

It's not explicitly stated by the Chairman, but the actors playing the roles always have standard British accents when not in character, and I believe that is written in the stage directions. 

[tazber]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 12:00pm

Oops. I thought I remembered them being introduced.

 

Anyway, they are troupe members.

[PJPan]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 12:02pm

tazber said: "Oops. I thought I remembered them being introduced.

 

Anyway, they are troupe members.

 

"

There are some version where the Chairman introduces Victor Grinstead (Neville) in "There You Are" and Janet Conover (Helena) during her first scene. But yes, I've always assumed they are meant to be British actors playing Ceylonese characters.

 

[Larcen26]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 12:04pm

So I guess my question is, is this one of those situations where in the current political climate, it would be taboo to not cast an actor of the "proper" race in that role?

Even if it might be historically accurate for the music hall?

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 12:04pm

He introduces the actors, but he doesn't specifically indicate that they're not actually from Ceylon. Though I suppose the names help to give that away. 

[tazber]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 12:13pm

Good question. If they were meant to British Nationals then they could conceivably be part of a English acting troupe.

 

I never considered that approach.

[newintown]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 1:19pm

It's the same situation as the Russian, French, Dutch, British, and American ambassadors in "Please Hello" in Pacific Overtures - the clear conceit of the show is that these are Japanese actors portraying westerners. To be politically correct, would you insist upon casting those roles with actors with ethnic background that matches the characters, or the characters playing the characters?

[Miranda3]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 1:54pm

Off the main point, but related:  When Jana Schneider played Helena in the original Drood, she had a line that got great laughs when (in character) she referred to herself as having a "geographically untraceable accent".

[Larcen26]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 2:42pm

newintown said: "It's the same situation as the Russian, French, Dutch, British, and American ambassadors in "Please Hello" in Pacific Overtures - the clear conceit of the show is that these are Japanese actors portraying westerners. To be politically correct, would you insist upon casting those roles with actors with ethnic background that matches the characters, or the characters playing the characters?"

I would argue that this case is different in a couple of ways...1. Pacific Overtures is a little more blatant in what it's doing, and is more "theatrical" and stylistic, so that sort of casting can be integrated more easily.  2. As much as we might want to, we can't pretend that white people playing "ethnic" roles is the same discussion as the reverse.

Please note everyone that I am not saying that there should be some sort of boycott of Drood when Helena isn't Indian.  And I get the narrative device gives a valid reason for the "inaccurate" casting.  I just was hoping that it might be addressed in the libretto somewhere to keep the accusations of cultural appropriation or whitewashing to a minimum.

[tazber]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 2:47pm

I think it's apparent enough in the text that it shouldn't stir up any controversy.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 4:10pm

"There are some version where the Chairman introduces Victor Grinstead (Neville) in "There You Are" and Janet Conover (Helena) during her first scene. But yes, I've always assumed they are meant to be British actors playing Ceylonese characters."

 

In the revival, they "broke character", making it very clear they are British actors playing Ceylonese.

 

"When Jana Schneider played Helena in the original Drood, she had a line that got great laughs when (in character) she referred to herself as having a "geographically untraceable accent". "

 

Mueller had success with that line in the revival as well.

 

"I think it's apparent enough in the text that it shouldn't stir up any controversy."

 

You'd think that, but there was a thread here (which I can't find) protesting the fact that non-Asians played Helena and Neville.

[Larcen26]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 4:56pm

ghostlight2 said: "You'd think that, but there was a thread here (which I can't find) protesting the fact that non-Asians played Helena and Neville."

This was my concern.  I was hoping there might be a little throw away line in there setting up that it was part of the "joke".

I could see doing it the way I mentioned, in having them be British but raised "On the continent" like in The Secret Garden or any other colonial English period piece.  But the songs, and the line about the accent, seems to negate this.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/3/16 at 5:57pm

If you'd ever seen it, I don't think you'd be concerned. It's very obviously a play within a play, and in that construct, it wouldn't make sense for the characters playing the actors to be Ceylonese.