- Two evenings will be left open to an ‘all-Black identifying audience’
A ‘controversial’ theatre production about race, identity and sexuality in twenty-first century America will put on two nights for black audiences to watch the play ‘free from the white gaze’.
Slave Play, starring Kit Harington who is best known for his role as Jon Snow in the HBO series Game of Thrones, is coming to the Noël Coward theatre in London’s West End from 29 June to 21 September.
But on the evenings of 17 July and 17 September, the theatre will be open to an ‘all-Black identifying audience’.
One senior Tory MP, who did not want to be named, raised questions over the decision to bar white people from the show, telling MailOnline: ‘I understand the subject matter of the show may have particular resonance for some but would simply question the legality of this?
‘In other circles it would be illegal and racial discrimination. I don’t understand why this isn’t.’
On the evenings of 17 July and 17 September, the theatre will be open to an ‘all-Black identifying audience’
Slave Play stars Kit Harington who is best known for his role as Jon Snow in the HBO series Game of Thrones
Slave Play, written by Jeremy O Harris, was a huge hit when it debuted in 2019 but it was also controversial, with a petition to have it cancelled.
According to the Guardian, some argued the play – surrounding three interracial couples attempting to reinvigorate their relationships while role-playing being on a plantation – made light of chattel slavery and left at least one audience member ‘offended and traumatised’.
Despite the criticism, Slave Play received 12 Tony nominations in 2021.
As the play is set for the stage this summer, writer Jeremy O Harris has criticised the casting of celebrities for theatre performances.
He told the Guardian: ‘There’s a lot of people making theatre now who think commercial theatre can only be made if you have someone who’s on the biggest TV show or the biggest movie ever, with the marquee name as the reason for you to buy the ticket. I don’t believe in that.
‘It’s something that takes away from great theatre because people treat it like a Disney World attraction, where the play is background to the amusement of seeing their favourite celebrity in front of them.’
Slave Play is coming to the Noël Coward theatre in London’s West End from 29 June to 21 September
It’s not the first time theatre bosses have faced a backlash for so-called ‘Black Out’ events.
In May last year, London‘s Theatre Royal Stratford East was blasted after it said white patrons should not go to a performance of Tambo & Bones on July 5.
The theatre claimed it was so the audience could enjoy the play ‘free from the white gaze’ and that it was about creating a ‘safe private’ space to allow an ‘all-black-identifying audience’ to enjoy the show.
But former cabinet minister Damian Green slammed the move, telling The Times: ‘Putting on a public show and then asking people of a certain ethnicity not to come is misguided and a bit sinister.’
While Giles Watling, the Tory MP for Clacton, branded the decision a ‘big mistake’.
The director of Tambo & Bones Matthew Xia however said it was important theatre created a space where black theatregoers could ‘explore complex, nuanced race-related issues’.