Hello, and welcome back to Week in Review, our roundup of industry-wide news. From stage to screens big and small, we’ve got you covered. It’s everything you need to know and all you can’t afford to miss.
Bodyguard accused of stereotyping Muslims
The final episode of the hit Sunday thriller Bodyguard dominated conversations last week. Although many were exhilarated by the finale, critics said the BBC’s hugely popular drama “bombarded” viewers with negative stereotypes of Muslim women.
Muslims and non-Muslims alike took to social media to vent frustration. Allegations focused on the character of Nadia, played by Anjli Mohindra, who – in true Line of Duty style – turned out to be much more than she at first seemed. While the Independent argued that Bodyguard was “truly special” because of strong primetime female representation and the “challenge to stereotypical views,” the Act For Change campaign accused creator Jed Mercurio of writing “a stereotype of a Muslim woman.”
Tagging both the writer and broadcaster on Twitter, the campaign group accused Bodyguard of tapping into “the fears of Brexit-voting Britain.” Founder of the group Danny Lee Wynter said: “It’s telling the only defence…comes from white folk.”
Actor Anjli Mohindra revealed she had originally turned down the audition over fears of stereotyping, but her agent had argued there was more to the role, saying: “You never know what’s coming with a Jed Mercurio show.” Mohindra thanked Twitter users for their thoughts, saying the debate was “flagging up complex and sensitive thoughts that I respect.” She directed users to her piece in Stylist, exploring her experiences in the industry as an Asian woman and addressing the issue of stereotyping Muslim women.
Mercurio denied Islamophobic representations, claiming that if the show had been set in the recent past “the attackers might be Irish Republicans.” He added: “Unfortunately, the reality of our situation is that the principal terror threats in the UK do originate from Islamist sympathisers.”
UK theatres sign up to Old Vic scheme to stamp out harassment
Major theatres across the UK have signed up to the Old Vic’s Guardians Network as part of the long-term response to harassment claims in the industry. Chichester Festival Theatre, the Southbank Centre and Sheffield Theatres are among more than 50 organisations that have joined the scheme aimed at “eliminating abuses of power in the workplace.”
The programme allows employees a confidential outlet to share concerns about behaviour at work and was spearheaded by the Old Vic in June as it wrestled with the fallout from the #MeToo movement and the allegations against former artistic director Kevin Spacey. Although designed for theatre, other arts organisations, including the British Film Institute, Birmingham Royal Ballet, English National Opera and National Portrait Gallery are adopting the scheme.
Lawyer Richard Miskella, partner at Lewis Silkin, said the scheme would empower staff with concerns to make “well-informed and appropriate choices regarding escalation of issues.”
Childcare scheme launches in West End
A weekend childcare scheme for parents working in theatre is coming to the West End. Starting this weekend, Matinee Club is described as a “creative” club for children over four years old and has been created by Sarah Middleton. The actor became aware of the lack of support for theatre professionals while doing part-time childcare work, describing Saturday afternoons as a “tricky no man’s land” for parents working in theatre.
Matinee Club is open to anyone working in any role in theatre, and will run from 12.30pm to 6pm in a creative workspace in Leicester Square. It will cost £45 for the day, with the Actors’ Children’s Trust pledging to assist with the fee for actors who cannot afford it.
Read more here.
Stage production news
The first major stage production of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin was announced last week. The story, based on Louis de Bernieres’ novel, follows an Italian army captain in occupied Greece during the Second World War and was turned into a 2001 film starring Nicholas Cage and Penélope Cruz. Adapted by Rona Munro (Rebus: Long shows, The James Plays) and directed by Melly Still, the production opens at Leicester Curve in April 2019 before visiting the Rose Theatre in Kingston, Theatre Royal Bath, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, King’s Theatre Edinburgh and Theatre Royal Glasgow.
Curve and the Rose Theatre are also to remount the National Theatre’s successful adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ classic story of mischief and chaos, The Cat in the Hat. Casting is underway for both projects.
Read more here.
The London production of Hamilton announced the first cast change as it approaches a second year in the West End. Allyson Ava-Brown, Dom Hartley-Harris and Jon Robyns are joining the cast as Angelica Schuyler, George Washington and King George III respectively, with changes coming into effect on 3 December. Jamael Westman continues in the title role, taking a break over Christmas and New Year. Giles Terera is to end his award-winning turn as Aaron Burr, with current ensemble member Sifiso Mazibuko taking over from 3 December.
Read more here.
Screen production news
The next instalment of the hugely popular Kingsman franchise is to begin filming shortly, filling the slot left vacant by the delayed Bond 25.
The Daily Mail revealed last week that Kingsman 3 is to be a prequel, and although writer/director Matthew Vaughn is attached, previous stars Taron Egerton and Colin Firth are not directly involved.
Co-stars Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson will return to tell the story of how the intelligence agency began during the First World War, “mixing comic-book lore with real history.”
Read more here.
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