Controversial Egg?

Class Act is in the middle of rehearsing "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg" by Peter Nichols. This play was listed as being one of the recommended texts for WA high schools. So far, they are staying away in droves. Is this 1967 play too controversial for our modern audiences?? We have already had a school ring up and say they were disgusted by our flyer - which quoted a review from The Observer which was on the BACK of the actual text along with a review written in 1993 (we put both on the flyer thinking they were "safe" as they were published with the text!) The offending review was by Ronald Bryden in 1967 - " This remarkable play is about a nightmare all women must have dreamed at some time, and most men: living with a child born so hopelessly crippled as to be, as the father says in it brutally, "a human parsnip". For all that, it has to be described as a comedy, one of the funniest and most touching I've ever seen." I must admit that during rehearsals, I am cringing at some of the 1967 references - but because the play is not pc enough for today's standards - should we not perform it?? Should we be changing some of the offensive references? What do you think? Angelique Malcolm

I'm not all that familiar with the play although I do remember the stir it caused originally. Speaking as a writer however please do not make changes to the script. The play deals with an incredibly sensitive subject and shows how it was approached forty years ago and hopefully will make people realise how far we have come. To modify a writers work to "bowdlerise" it is a sin against the intent of the writer. Shouldn't a play like this shock? Aren't we allowed to shock any more? Do the play Class Act and glory in having offended the small minded people who can't see past the nose on their face. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

Don't censor

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