Knives out for Jack the Ripper panto

A PANTOMIME about Jack the Ripper has angered campaigners who claim it turns violence against women ‘into a joke’.

The show – which is due to run at the Norwich Playhouse – is described on the theatre’s website as a ‘love story with prostitutes, murders, drugs and a good old sing-song’.

But call-centre worker Sophie Elliott, who also runs feminist magazine Parallel, said she was ‘shocked and disgusted’ when she found out about the performance on Facebook.

The 23-year-old has now set up a petition calling for the theatre to cancel the production, which is due to run from December 10-12, and has collected more than 250 signatures. ‘It is turning violence against women into a joke,’ she said. ‘I find it surprising that people still find that kind of thing funny.’

However the theatre and production company, Spooky Kid Productions, said Jack The Ripper The Panto will go ahead as planned.

Director Caroline Richardson said violence against women was ‘not the butt of the joke’. Spooky Kid added that previous performances had not led to complaints.