Ask Auntie Trash: Where Are the Diverse Actors?

Article by Amy Taylor | 08 Sep 2016

Hi there,
A loaded one, but relevant.
Why is there not enough diversity in British Theatre in the casting process? (Would love to hear your thoughts)
Best,
Ikram Gilani 

Hello Ikram,
Sure it’s a loaded question, but I’ll take it, because it’s a really fucking important question. And a lot of what I’m going to say is probably not going to come as news to you, but it needs to be said. British theatre, is, as a whole, very white, very middle class and very inaccessible for people who don’t fit into the above. I know great strides are being made in the right direction, but when people are getting all butthurt (but mostly acting like the massive racists that they are) because Noma Dumezweni got cast as Hermione in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, then we still have a long way to go.

Of course, the lack of diversity doesn’t just affect the casting process; it affects every single tier of theatre. We don’t have enough people of colour, we don’t have enough women, we don’t have enough people from poorer backgrounds making theatre. That doesn’t mean it’s not happening, because it is, and there are lots of amazing theatre companies out there, but we aren’t commissioning as much diverse work as we could.

And herein lies the problem; we live in a wonderfully richly diverse and eclectic society, and the ones that are most often represented are, you’ve guessed it, the white people, specifically, the white men. Women, ethnic minorities, the disabled and many more often get ignored or typecast. These are problems that will only get worse with funding cuts, which can force theatres to make so-called ‘safe choices’ to get people in the door and bums on seats. Why take a chance on a new writer, or a new actor when you can stick to what you know, eh? But you know this, so, what’s my point?

My point is this: the white male gaze permeates everything in British theatre, and because of this it’s what we expect. Sure, we can look back and cringe at blacked up white actors playing people of colour, like Laurence Olivier in Othello; painted himself black, and everyone went, “OMG LARRY, THERE IS LITERALLY NO WAY A REAL BLACK MAN COULD HAVE DONE THIS BETTER,” while Stanislavski was so moved by his own attempts to capture the essence of Shakespeare’s tragic Moorish general that he literally smothered his face in chocolate cake and then wrote about how it made him a better actor. He did, you can read it in a book that is still published today. But again, you know this, I am literally preaching to the choir.

We can look back at these stories and simultaneously cringe, or wonder at what is, perhaps the world’s first recorded description of edible blackface, but they prove that western theatre has not always been the most diverse or progressive. In fact, only two years ago, Dame Janet Suzman decided that it was a really good idea to announce that, “theatre is a totally European invention” as if that could ever be an acceptable truth, ever.

What I’m trying to say is, British theatre is not diverse enough. Yes, undoubtedly progress has been made and we’re moving in the right direction, but for theatre to truly evolve and thrive it needs to listen to and promote different voices, which will then speak to new audiences, younger people, those who felt theatre truly wasn’t for them and in doing so, become so much more and inclusive and just fucking better, really.

Best, 

Trash x


Auntie Trash is always looking for anonymous questions for her advice column. You can apply/pour out your heart here: trash@theskinny.co.uk