“Slave Play,” a critically acclaimed show by playwright Jeremy O. Harris, is causing quite a stir in London...but not for the reasons you might assume.
The play — which centers on race, power, identity, and sexuality — successfully debuted on Broadway in 2019 to significant fanfare. However, things got a little bit more complicated when it was announced that the production would be running on London’s West End.
In keeping with with its United States run, Harris announced two special “Black Out” dates, for which he invited all-Black audiences to watch the play. It’s worth noting that the play has a 13-week run on the West End and that white people are not barred from attending any of the shows.
However, the backlash was swift.
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak even weighed in. “The prime minister,” the HIS spokesperson told The BBC, “is a big supporter of the arts, and he believes that the arts should be inclusive and open to everyone, particularly where those arts venues are in receipt of public funding. Restricting audiences on the basis of race would be wrong and divisive.”
Harris addressed the Prime Minister’s and others’ comments in an interview with the BBC.
“I think that one of the things that we have to remember is that people have to be radically invited into a space to know that they belong there,” he continued. “In most places in the West, poor people and Black people have been told that they do not belong inside of the theatre….As someone who wants and yearns for Black and brown people to be in the theatre, who comes from a working-class environment, and so wants people who do not make over six figures a year to feel like theatre is a place for them, it is a necessity to radically invite them in with initiatives that say ‘you’re invited. Specifically you’.”
On Social media, he took it one step further, telling the prime minster to “Grow Up” and focus on the real issues like the continued bombardment of Palestinians in Gaza.
“To know that your prime minister was called upon to discuss this weeks after he said he wouldn’t endorse a ceasefire is inconceivable.
GROW UP!
This has happened in NYC, LA, and London (yes already happened in London!) to great acclaim. And you didn’t notice. Bc you don’t care.”