- A pantomime featuring 'come down to our oriental town' has been condemned
- The actor's union Equity was 'shocked by a very white-looking' Liverpool cast
- The cast included Coronation Street's Connor McIntyre and actor Scott Sutcliffe
An Aladdin pantomime featuring all-white performers has been branded as
"racist" and "disgusting" as actors call for an "industry wide conversation"
about casting.
The actor’s union Equity said they were “shocked by a very white-looking”
cast at Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena which stars Coronation Street’s Connor
McIntyre as Abanazar and The Voice contestant Kelsey Beth Crossley as
Princess Jasmine.
During the performance, lyrics such as “come on down to our oriental town”
were sang which actor Irvine Iqbal, who played the Sultan in the West End
production of Aladdin, said he would refuse to say.
On Twitter he said the pantomime was “shameful” and that actors should
challenge such “racial slurs”.
“ALL white cast in a production of Aladdin where the lyrics are 'Come on
down to our oriental town' in the diverse city of Liverpool,” he tweeted.
“This is diverse Britain! #Shameful."
The UK Pantomime Association has also condemned the production saying it
takes “seriously the need for innovation and progression in the sector,
including the… removal of racist stereotypes”.
https://www.gbnews.uk/news/racism-ro...gusting/410478