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Controversial Egg?

Thu, 30 Apr 2009, 10:07 am
class act theatre20 posts in thread
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

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg

Sun, 3 May 2009, 06:27 pm

This is a damn good play and deserves to be seen by EVERYONE.

It isn't maudlin or depressing, it deals with  a problem of having a disabled child honestly and with compassion and if you have actors who understand the subject- as you obviously have - then  the production will be a highlight  of this year's theatre.

Why do we have to shy away from "disabilities"? This is the 21st century- isn't it and we don't hide people who don't correspond to the "normal" away in institutions any more.

Stay with your convictions Class Act. I have not yet seen the advertising poster  so I can't understand the objections, but Good Luck. 

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