Play about fire inquiry slammed as ‘appalling’ on social media
A PLAY based on the Grenfell Fire inquiry has sparked controversy following the announcement of the cast.
Grenfell: Value Engineering will run from October 13 to November 14 at the Tabernacle, in Notting Hill, and is based entirely on the words of those involved in the current inquiry.
A casting announcement at the weekend naming Olivier Award nominee Ron Cook as the lead portraying Richard Millett QC, counsel to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, prompted a backlash on social media.
While the play was announced earlier this year, the casting news has prompted renewed interest and divisive responses on Twitter, with many condemning the production as “appalling”.
Comedy writer James Felton tweeted: “Cool to live in a country that’ll deliver Grenfell:
The Musical before any sort of justice for the victims.”
Author Otegha Uwagba wrote: “This is truly sickening. Many of the Grenfell residents haven’t even been rehomed yet, and now a bunch of luvvies are using their stories as cannon fodder for a story that seems to put middle-class white people at the centre.”
Meanwhile, activist and writer Gina Martin added: “Unless all the money is going to the families and individuals affected who still don’t have justice, I don’t want to see a theatre production make any money off the back of a horrendous tragedy that happened only four years ago.”
In a statement, Birmingham Rep Theatre – which will run performances alongside Notting Hill’s Tabernacle Theatre – said: “The six performances at The Rep are wholly not for profit and running at a loss. £3 of each ticket sold is being donated to The Grenfell Foundation and a local cladding action group.”
The play explores the causes of the devastating fire on June 14 2017, in which 72 people died.
The rest of the cast includes Daniel Betts, Sam Buchanan, Sally Giles, Polly Kemp, Phill Langhorne, Tim Lewis, David Michaels, David Robb, Howard Ward, Thomas Wheatley and Rosie Wyatt.
Director Nicolas Kent insisted the play “is vitally important in getting to the truth and holding to account those who were responsible for the disastrous refurbishment of the tower”.
“We are grateful to The Tabernacle and The Playground Theatre for helping us bring this dramatisation of the Grenfell Inquiry to the local community,” he added.