White people playing Chinese roles…

[almostwitty]

I’m not particularly up to date with racial and theatrical politics, but I thought it was generally widely accepted that you don’t hire white people to play non-white roles when there are perfectly good non-white actors to play said roles…. right?

Apparently not. Madam Miaow works up a firestorm of a rant in pointing out that More Light at the Arcola Theatre (written by Bryony Lavery and directed by Catrina Lear) is casting white women as Chinese women. What makes it deliciously ironic is that it’s about … the burial of Chinese women. And of course, none of the theatre reviewers have even noticed.

It’s been a long time since I even dabbled in the world of Chinese actors/actresses and theatre but I … just thought you ought to know. Not too sure what people can do about it - for the fourth largest ethnic minority in the UK, the people in power are remarkably blase when it comes to applying the same rules for Chinese people/roles as they would do to white/black/Asian roles…

Originally published at almost witty. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[kiri-l.livejournal.com]

While I get her main point and frankly have to agree with the fact it is appalig that it is an entirely Caucasian cast (without some kind of explanation as to the why.. certainly there are british asian actresses out there in London?)

THIS "Edward Said never wrote Orientalism" only indicates she never read - nor understood - his book. Sheesh. do not quote something unless you know what it actually contains.

[almostwitty]

She's an actress, not an academic. ;)

Then again, the only vague reason I know who Edward Said is because Miss H reveres his work on the Middle East. At least that's what I think he wrote.

[kiri-l.livejournal.com]

Miss H is correct about it being a seminal work. Get it, read it, ENJOY! =) You must introduce us. I have thought for a while we'd get on smashingly. (been reading 1920's books again.. bear with me)

[choirgrrl.livejournal.com]

It's almost like that sketch I saw on MadTv where the joke was they had the Asian guy play Oliver Twist. Sometimes, if you have the right visual person available, you should just take it and give your performance some credibility.

[hellmutt.livejournal.com]

That's so weird. Like you said, I thought we were past that sort of thing.

[madammiaow.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Kiri:
"THIS "Edward Said never wrote Orientalism" only indicates she never read - nor understood - his book. "

What I actually wrote was, "Jeez, you'd think Edward Said never wrote Orientalism." A bit different to your (mis)quote, yeah?