smoking

Hi Gordon,, You are not the only person pondering the inclusion of smoking on stage or screen. Recently the AMA attempted to gain some support for a governmental clamp down on smoking in Australian shows as they felt it had the potential to glamourise smoking and perhaps encourage people to take up the habit. The AMA proposed that any films or stage plays that depicted smoking should not be eligable for government funding. Naturally a spirited and well argued response came from Equity and actors alike protesting this proposal and the logic behind it. I have never had experience with fake cigarettes on stage so I cannot give you any opinion regarding their odour, authenticity or taste. I am also a non smoker. However, I believe that if a character has been written as a smoker or this trait is justified in a character, then smoking is a completely legitimate inclusion. Omitting smoking, in my opinion, is like omitting foul language, cultural and geographic references, or 'toning down' things like nudity, drug use or controversial subject matter just to keep the conservatives in the audience happy. Our language, clothing, habits and opinions tell the world about who we are, where we've been, what we believe in and our status in the world. If the play and the character calls for it, then light up I say! Tulipa