There is lot of well crafted media trained response that has come since but the reality is that casting a man gave a sense of the grotesque and a sense of ‘other’
Carvel brilliantly played the role as a woman, rather than a man in a dress but there was an underlying sense that something was off. That gives a sense of something not quite as it seems, something you can’t put your finger on and something potentially dangerous.
The same reason why numerous other female villains are played as men because it gives a sense of the grotesque.
Soon after the show opened Cameron Mackintosh began considering men for the role of Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins, although the idea was abandoned.
There is no way, on the face of the earth that any professional attached with a show can utter the above now because it would destroy them so the only possible response is ‘we considered actors of both genders’ whilst they hope to God that nobody pushes further.
It’s not going to be a popular reply but the above is the truth of it and whilst the industry is changing, that change still comes slow. The industry itself might be made up of left leaning, open minded liberal types but the reality is that ticket buyers cover a wider demographic and most don’t care at all about such politics. It’s why Cameron Mackintosh can get away with saying that casting trans actors is just a gimmick, whilst outraging and offending many people and still sitting comfortably with no fear that he is going to lose the bulk of his audience.
The Matilda production team have to play a little safer because they don’t have his millions to fall back on but even if they were all cancelled, the film would probably still do well.
