SLAVE PLAY headed to London?- Page 2

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 10:05pm

I'd more excited about Fisayo Akinade who's been in a bunch of stuff.

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 10:49pm

everythingtaboo said: "I'd more excited about Fisayo Akinade who's been in a bunch of stuff."

I saw him in The Crucible in the West End last summer. He's an incredible actor. I have no doubt he will do well in this play. 

[TimeToStartLivin]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 11:21pm

FIVE years? That's generous.

[TimeToStartLivin]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 12:05am

The TONYS came during Covid when few shows were open. Slave Play was an anomaly and to claim the nominations, while true, are really misleading. Saying it was a "huge Broadway hit" is also really poor reporting. Slave Play couldn't give tickets away. They hardly could sell out 1/4 of the house, and that only through the dedication (misguided, I'd say) of its producers who seemed OK to lose money in the name of supporting a new black Yale wunderkind playwright who happened to write a ****ty play but sold the producers on his brand of koolaid. It was a precocious ego effort at best. What has he done since? And this "Black Out" **** for "safety" for black audiences, and "free from the White gaze"? What the hell is that? Why is no one calling out this racism at its worst? And making the show affordable to underprivileged people? They could not give tickets away in NY. No one wanted to see the show. Curious to see who will buy the 30 pay-what-you-can tickets and 10 seats priced at £20. WOW! 40 tickets !!!!!!! I hope the London audience and press eviscerates this show both for its racism and how crappy the show is.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 3:00am

TimeToStartLivin said: "The TONYS cameduring Covid when few shows were open. Slave Play was an anomaly and to claim the nominations, while true, are really misleading. Saying it was a "huge Broadway hit" is also really poor reporting. Slave Play couldn't give tickets away. They hardly could sell out 1/4 of the house, and that only through the dedication (misguided, I'd say) of its producers who seemed OK tolose money in the name of supporting a new black Yale wunderkind playwright who happened to write a ****ty play but sold the producers on his brand of koolaid.Itwas a precocious ego effort at best. What has he done since? And this "Black Out"**** for "safety" for black audiences, and "free from the White gaze"? What the hell is that? Why is no one calling out this racism at its worst?And making the show affordable to underprivileged people? They could not give tickets away in NY. No one wanted to see the show. Curious to see who will buy the 30 pay-what-you-can tickets and 10 seats priced at£20. WOW! 40 tickets !!!!!!! I hope the London audienceand press eviscerates this show both for its racism and how crappy the show is."

who hurt you my guy?

[binau]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 5:49am

Surely someone could have thought of a phrase less inflammatory and divisive as ‘free from the white gaze’. I’m quite sure the audience gaze will be on what is on stage and not other audience members. 

[blasvader]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 7:30am

I don't think O' Harris is very interested in trying to at least, appear as appeasing. Moreover, this-gaze and that-gaze are very common terms now, used for so many things. Can't believe people are responding to Daily Heil articles. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 8:07am

Any BIPOC can tell you about the code switching white gaze sometimes causes us to do in order to be accepted or heard and how we may speak more freely and authentically in its absence just as some gay men have long felt the need to "butch in up " in some situations to get accepted. 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 11:27am

TimeToStartLivin said: "Why is no one calling out this racism at its worst?"

Setting aside two performances of one play out of a three-month run is racism at its worst? Are you really prepared to defend that claim?

[Kad]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 11:36am

O’Harris is best at getting a reaction and it looks like he’s succeeded once again. 

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 12:42pm

TimeToStartLivin said: "The TONYS cameduring Covid when few shows were open. Slave Play was an anomaly and to claim the nominations, while true, are really misleading. Saying it was a "huge Broadway hit" is also really poor reporting. Slave Play couldn't give tickets away. They hardly could sell out 1/4 of the house, and that only through the dedication (misguided, I'd say) of its producers who seemed OK tolose money in the name of supporting a new black Yale wunderkind playwright who happened to write a ****ty play but sold the producers on his brand of koolaid.Itwas a precocious ego effort at best. What has he done since? And this "Black Out"**** for "safety" for black audiences, and "free from the White gaze"? What the hell is that? Why is no one calling out this racism at its worst?And making the show affordable to underprivileged people? They could not give tickets away in NY. No one wanted to see the show. Curious to see who will buy the 30 pay-what-you-can tickets and 10 seats priced at£20. WOW! 40 tickets !!!!!!! I hope the London audienceand press eviscerates this show both for its racism and how crappy the show is."

rac·ism

/ˈrāˌsiz(ə)m/



noun

1. prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.
   
   "a program to combat racism"

[binau]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 12:46pm

I'm starting to think that this whole thing is/was a publicity stunt lol:

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/feb/29/no-10-condemns-london-theatre-for-hosting-black-out-nights

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 12:58pm

binau said: "I'm starting to think that this whole thing is/was a publicity stunt lol:

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/feb/29/no-10-condemns-london-theatre-for-hosting-black-out-nights"

"To be absolutely clear, no one will be prevented or precluded from attending any performance of Slave Play." –– the producers of the show in that article

It's been done on other shows with little controversy. The wording surrounding it may be poorly done. They're simply encouraging Black audiences to attend those nights. It's a larger-scale version of "Girls Nights Out" or "LGBTQ Night" or "Student Matinees" or other things that have been done for decades at theatres around the world, where people from certain groups are encouraged to attend and it offers a sense of community. 

The nonsense surrounding this initiative is fairly stupid, but as we know, the Right likes to make a mountain out of a molehill.

[lopside]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 1:00pm

binau said: "I'm starting to think that this whole thing is/was a publicity stunt lol:

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/feb/29/no-10-condemns-london-theatre-for-hosting-black-out-nights

"

Except, as mentioned in the article, this has been done before in London, for an O'Harris play also. It's just a big star this time around, so more people noticed. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 1:06pm

He did black out nights on Broadway so it makes sense he would repeat that in the UK.

And this "Black Out" **** for "safety" for black audiences, and "free from the White gaze"? What the hell is that? Why is no one calling out this racism at its worst? And making the show affordable to underprivileged people?

Tell me you're white and clueless without telling me you're white and clueless. And damn those affordable tickets for people who otherwise couldn't attend the theater, they are the WORST! And for people triggered that they are excluded from two performances in the entire run? Get a life. No, seriously. 

[binau]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 1:23pm

"Tell me you're white and clueless"  - god - is this the level of argument that is considered not just acceptable but even morally virtuous in the USA today? Imagine if you said "Tell me you're black and clueless" in response to something someone said. It feels ugly to be using people's race in an insult, and I'm pretty sure in a couple decades we will look back on these times and be shocked at how we spoke to each other, and use it as an example of how not to create a healthy functioning diverse inclusive society. I realise you're probably not actually looking to change anyone's mind and you're just enjoying speaking like that anonymously over the internet, but if you do you really do need to respond to the actual points. 

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 1:40pm

binau said: ""Tell me you're white and clueless" -god - is this the level of argument that is considered not just acceptable but even morally virtuous in the USA today? Imagine if you said "Tell me you're black and clueless" in response to something someone said. It feels ugly to be using people's race in an insult, and I'm pretty sure in a couple decades we will look back on these times and be shocked at how we spoke to each other, and use it as an example of how not to create a healthy functioning diverse inclusive society.I realise you're probably not actually looking to change anyone's mind and you're just enjoying speaking like that anonymously over the internet, but if you do you really do need to respond to the actual points."

Except black people don't have a centuries long history of oppressing white people. So it's really apples and oranges.

It's also amazing seeing people complain they are excluded from a night or two of a show they have absolutely no interest in seeing. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/1/24 at 8:43am

Sutton Ross said: "He did black out nights on Broadway so it makes sense he would repeat that in the UK.

And this "Black Out"**** for "safety" for black audiences, and "free from the White gaze"? What the hell is that? Why is no one calling out this racism at its worst?And making the show affordable to underprivileged people?

Tell me you're white and clueless without telling me you're white and clueless. And damn those affordable tickets for people who otherwise couldn't attend the theater, they are the WORST! And for people triggered that they are excluded from two performances in the entire run? Get a life. No, seriously."

To be fair, and I’ve not looked at tickets to this show, but the west end is VERY affordable. I saw the best musical winner for $10. And I saw guys and dolls for $35. But anyway, I don’t think it’s a big deal at all. I think people are just triggered by the “white gaze” of it all 

[Ensemble1671566276]

Posted: 3/1/24 at 8:46am

The people complaining were NEVER going to watch this in the first place. I can't believe that a rag like DM still manages to get so much attention. Was anyone even aware of the moaners before that article got published?

[Kad]

Posted: 3/1/24 at 9:40am

Now PM Rishi Sunak has weighed in for some reason. Who could ask for better marketing?

I don’t think the play itself should be particularly controversial nor is it particularly as incisive or insightful as it presents itself, which is why so much of its “controversy” on Broadway mostly centered around things like audience behavior and Jeremy O. Harris himself. Oddly, I don’t remember the “Black Out” performances being an issue here. 

Updated On: 3/1/24 at 09:40 AM

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 3/1/24 at 9:46am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "binau said: "I'm starting to think that this whole thing is/was a publicity stunt lol:

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/feb/29/no-10-condemns-london-theatre-for-hosting-black-out-nights"

"To be absolutely clear, no one will be prevented or precluded from attending any performance of Slave Play." –– the producers of the show in that article

It's been done on other shows with little controversy. The wording surrounding it may be poorly done. They're simply encouraging Black audiences to attend those nights. It's a larger-scale version of "Girls Nights Out" or "LGBTQ Night" or "Student Matinees" or other things that have been done for decades at theatres around the world, where people from certain groups are encouraged to attend and it offers a sense of community.

The nonsense surrounding this initiative is fairly stupid, but as we know, the Right likes to make a mountain out of a molehill."

the Right likes to make the mountain, yes, but sometimes the Left wants it to. This is a publicity stunt, of course, because there can be no such thing as "no White people allowed to buy tickets tonight"- how would they enforce that? its preposterous--and so it really is just a way to encourage/welcome Black theatergoers to special performances. Its harmless.

AND SO THEREFORE Jeremy O Harris has smartly/intentionally marketed it to be something it isnt, to get headlines, and piss off the usual pearl-clutchers, and rally the woke troops. And on it goes.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 3/1/24 at 10:30am

RippedMan said: "...But anyway, I don’t think it’s a big deal at all. I think people are just triggered by the “white gaze” of it all"

Yes, I think that had the announcement not included that "free from the white gaze" bit, there wouldn't be such a negative reaction. You can celebrate Blackness and create a special event for Black people without sh*tting on White people. This sort of thing was all the rage in 2020/2021, but at this point it's getting pretty tiresome. If they had just left that phrase out, it would have been fine.

[binau]

Posted: 3/1/24 at 10:47am

"Oddly, I don’t remember the “Black Out” performances being an issue here."

I assume it's a combination of more publicity for this one due to cast involved, the use of 'white gaze' which I would say is pretty race-baity and also I want to emphasise that the UK is not the US. People don't seem to always understand that many of the US concepts and issues around race (for example) do not necessarily apply or resonate well when exported to the rest of the world.

Too often I think Americans have a tendency to believe that their way of thinking should make its way everywhere or is even relevant for other countries. There also seems to be this odd homogenous treatment of black people in Western countries as if the issues are the same. While there are similarities, there are big differences between the history and experience of black people across US, UK, Australia/NZ and Europe. The USA Black African American experience is something very specific to the USA, and exporting ideas around this elsewhere on this should probably be done more carefully than it is now. 

Updated On: 3/1/24 at 10:47 AM

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 3/1/24 at 12:47pm

People over there are saying this is a play about slavery.  Lol

it also seems more taboo over there to do something like this.  American audiences are accustomed to affirmative action and other policies of the like.  England I guess they’re more idealistic. 

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 3/1/24 at 1:01pm

I could care less about having those special nights, but I do find it interesting that a show whose entire conceptual design revolved around having mirrors across the stage so that everyone could watch themselves and others watching the play is now suddenly concerned about anyone's gaze.