SLAVE PLAY headed to London? — Page 3

Broadway61004 said: "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."

Exactly. The very concept of "a night where those White people wont be there ruining things for us" is antithetical to some of what the play itself has to say. Because its not real. Its marketing. Its causing a stir, and taking an outlandish position that can be used as bait for the usual reactionary old-schoolers, which will then galvanize the opposite army.

I give jeremy harris credit for consistently pulling ths shtick, dont get me wrong. its those who treat it like an actual justifiable moral crusade---ie the rubes he is exploiting--that become insufferable. and for the prime minister of the UK to join the fray--what a gift to harris and what a shame for the rest of us.

PipingHotPiccolo said: "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."

He loves to stir the pot for publicity anyway. I also went into this thinking it would be about racism and slavery, not about colonized desires and sexuality.

Maybe if people knew what the show is exactly about...

TimeToStartLivin said: "I am so glad to see so much conversation around my post. @BeingBoredBoard no one has hurt me. I am a white person and find these Black Out nights really offensive, and do not understand why this,of all the efforts in the Broadway community to be sensitive to the BIPOC community, is not offensive. So what is the "White Gaze"? Is a Japanese Gaze OK? Is an Indian Gaze or an Indonesian Gaze OK? Does that qualify? HOW OFFENSIVE! Why is there not more outcry for thisovert racism?

And to another poster's comment, I am glad there are affordable tickets for those that want to see the show. I admire ANYONE that puts on a show on Broadway or the West End. It's so hard, and takes a lot of money and commitment. I was sad that Slave Play did so poorly on Broadway -- but it did. They couldn't sell tickets, because the show never found its audience and I don't think should have been on Broadway in the first place.

And lastly, to another poster's comment., when I lived in London years ago, I found it one of the most racist places I've ever been. There'sa different sensibility in Europe, and made me appreciate, however flawed, the sensitivity America has to the racism in our country. In England, what I experienced was basically no real understanding of the attitude toward black people and felt no hesitation to insult or undermine them. It was astonishing. English readers kill me now."


Calling other people racist while posting racist rants complaining that you’re offended that back people don’t want to centre you at all times. Pot kettle.

I wasn't going to keep replying to this thread, but have to say:
From The Hollywood Reporter:

Harris explained the rationale for “Black Out” nights to BBC radio earlier this week, saying “this is a night that we are specifically inviting Black people to fill up the space, to feel safe with a lot of other Black people in a place where they often do not feel safe.”

He added: “As someone who wants and yearns for Black and brown people to be in the theater, who comes from a working-class environment, and so wants people who do not make over six figures a year to feel like theater is a place for them, it is a necessity to radically invite them"

Safe? Black people do not feel safe going to the theater? Really? I really want to understand this. Do Black audiences feel threatened in some way in the theatres? How? What about MJ, the child molester guy? What about Jelly's Last Jam, the wonderful production at City Center? Or Strange Loop? Black audiences feel "unsafe" there? What about Lion King? Or Wicked. Or Avenue Q when it was running. Or ANY other show on or off Broadway. What is he talking about? This is a serious question. I really want to know. What does he think "Black" audiences feel "unsafe" about? This is a serious question and I want to understand. And as a White woman who makes about $40K a year, how insulting, you f**cking racist classist ****that sits on your throne thinking you are so all-knowing. I am not some Rich White Lady that you think all Broadway goers are, or what that even means to you. And how racist and classist anyway. And even if I were someone that makes half a mil a year, what difference does that make? Be glad someone was buying tickets to your damn show. I did because I wanted to see the show, and thought it was interesting and glad to see it, but also glad I didn't waste $150 for my ticket. It just wasn't very good and didn't understand why the producers thought the show should be on Broadway. The show failed because there was no word-of-mouth and no one wanted to see the show, because it was BAD. At the end of the day, THAT is what matters. Can't wait to see the London reviews.

Updated On: 3/3/24 at 07:09 PM

The phrase about "feeling safe" has been used over and over again by Harris. I really don't understand what that means. And I really want to understand that means. Do Black people feel unsafe going to the theatre? If so, why? This is a serious question I'd like to understand. For the show in New York, their marketing team could have reached out to the African American audience, which is very difficult because the Black community in New York doesn't generally choose live theatre as an entertainment option. That's just the reality. And I don't know how you change that except to make a more concerted effort to reach out to the Black community in a meaningful way. But especially these days, I think it's a hard sell to anyone, whether the Black community or not, to convince anyone to spend $100+ a person, to schlepp to midtown with the gross character actors, sit in an uncomfortable old-fashioned theatre for two hours with crappy bathrooms, next to drunk crazy people. As I said before, the show could not give tickets away. And I don't know how a show called "Slave Play" would particularly resonate with the Black community in New York anyway. Wonder if they did any research around that. Am very curious to see how this does in London, where race politics are very different.

And JOH, if there is White patron in the orchestra that paid full premium price, sitting next to a BIPOC guy that got a discount ticket, are you going to slam the White guy for paying full price because he's affluent and can afford to pay full price to your producers for your show? You are an idiot.

TimeToStartLivin said: "I am so glad to see so much conversation around my post. @BeingBoredBoard no one has hurt me. I am a white person and find these Black Out nights really offensive, and do not understand why this,of all the efforts in the Broadway community to be sensitive to the BIPOC community, is not offensive. So what is the "White Gaze"? Is a Japanese Gaze OK? Is an Indian Gaze or an Indonesian Gaze OK? Does that qualify? HOW OFFENSIVE! Why is there not more outcry for thisovert racism?

And to another poster's comment, I am glad there are affordable tickets for those that want to see the show. I admire ANYONE that puts on a show on Broadway or the West End. It's so hard, and takes a lot of money and commitment. I was sad that Slave Play did so poorly on Broadway -- but it did. They couldn't sell tickets, because the show never found its audience and I don't think should have been on Broadway in the first place.

And lastly, to another poster's comment., when I lived in London years ago, I found it one of the most racist places I've ever been. There'sa different sensibility in Europe, and made me appreciate, however flawed, the sensitivity America has to the racism in our country. In England, what I experienced was basically no real understanding of the attitude toward black people and felt no hesitation to insult or undermine them. It was astonishing. English readers kill me now."

Oh no a white person is offended because their every whim isn't being catered to : (

I think the main problem here is that London theater takes in public funding... making this a bit trickier of an issue.



To the marketing stunt topic -- I will never forget reviewer Ashley Harris' experience with JOH and Slave Play....

Why I Saw Slave Play Twice (her review)

How ‘Slave Play’ Author Jeremy O. Harris Lost an Epic Twitter Fight (a recap of the entire thing)

Ensemble1671017357 said: "

Oh no a white person is offended because their every whim isn't being catered to: ("

How intolerant and racist. Equal rights is a "whim" when skin color is concerned. Really?"

How exactly are your “equal rights” being violated because a months-long theatre production has two performances where white people are welcome and won’t be refused entry, but the producers are prioritising giving tickets to black community groups?



Do you think the existence of gay bars violates the equal rights of straight people?

QueenTwinnied said: "Ensemble1671017357 said: "

Oh no a white person is offended because their every whim isn't being catered to: ("

How intolerant and racist. Equal rights is a "whim" when skin color is concerned. Really?"

Would you be shocked to learn that I’m white? Racist how? I’m just not totally out of touch and selfish like you. I’m capable of recognizing the importance of these types of performances without being self-centered andplaying the victim. I’m sick of white people acting so horribly offended when certain events or experiences cater to marginalized groups, it’s okay for you to be respectful and sit something out for once. It’s peak privilege to think otherwise."


Well said.



Last night at the Jewish play in London, an audience member screamed “f*** off” at the actors.


Clearly the existence of plays that have explicit anti racism themes and which seek to explore issues around race make some people very angry. And sure, if someone buys a ticket with the intention of disrupting a performance that’s one thing, a black out performance (or performance where tickets are given out to Jewish community groups) won’t stop someone who is determined to protest. But I don’t think either the two hecklers bought tickets with the intention of being disruptive, I think they bought tickets in good faith and then felt empowered to have a vocal response to bits of dialogue they disagreed with, and the reason they felt empowered to do so is because antisemitism is so normalised here. Would they have heckled if the play was in a Jewish cultural centre? Would they have even bought a ticket? Maybe, maybe not.



The small risk of someone deliberately infiltrating a black out performance aside, human behaviour is largely influenced by environment. Shouting the F word is extreme but even stuff like audiences laughing at the homophobic graffiti in Priscilla, that’s influenced by audience demographics.

Um was there full frontal nudity in this when it was in NYC? Because I don't remember that but apparently Kit Harrington shows his dick in the West End production according to several people on Twitter.

I saw it twice and don't remember it at all

TotallyEffed said: "This play strikes me as a piece that will feel extremelydated in five years."

If by that, you mean that the issues it takes on will be so thoroughly examined by the theatre going public in the next five years making this a play that can no longer stir the imagination of those like me who admire it, that would be a a fantastic thing.

It would also greatly surprise me.