No 10: Slavery play’s ‘black-only’ nights are divisive

PLANS for a West End play about slavery to hold performances with black-only audiences have been criticised as ‘wrong and divisive’ by Downing Street.

Slave Play at the Noel Coward Theatre, which stars Game Of Thrones actor Kit Harington, is set to have two performances aimed at an ‘all-black-identifying audience’ to allow them to enjoy it ‘free from the white gaze’.

Organisers of ‘Black Out’ shows say they do not ‘prevent or preclude anyone’ from attending and that nobody has been turned away in the past.

But Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman yesterday suggested that restricting audiences on the basis of race was wrong.

They said: ‘The Prime Minister 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. Obviously, these reports are concerning and further information is being sought. But clearly, restricting audiences on the basis of race would be wrong and divisive.’

Slave Play, nominated for a record-breaking 12 Tony awards during its Broadway run, tells a story of ‘race, identity and sexuality’ at a plantation in the southern US.

The West End production from June 29 until September 21 will hold the two Black Out nights on July 17 and September 17. The producers said yesterday: ‘Our intent is to celebrate the play with the widest possible audience...

‘To be absolutely clear, no one will be prevented or precluded from attending any performance of Slave Play.’ And Slave Play’s creator, American actor and playwright Jeremy O Harris, said: ‘I’m not even saying “blacks only”, I’m saying I’m inviting black people first.

‘They can bring their white friends or lovers if they want. There’s no colour bar. But one existed in the UK recently.’