It’s a sin: Theatre group feels wrath of Rev for using ‘damn’ in church
TO the casual observer, it is a gentle comedy set in the 1920s.
But a performance of a play has been thrown into doubt after a row over language between a theatre group and church leaders.
Amateur group the New Barrhead Players plan to perform The Gypsy, ‘a theatre comedy in two acts’, at Barrhead Bourock Parish Church.
However, they are unsure whether it will go ahead after the local minister, Reverend Pamela Gordon, objected to the use of the words ‘damn’ and ‘damned’ in the script – as well as references to an extra-marital affair.
Producer Alma Mearns said these were not the first complaints. Words such as ‘bloody’ and ‘God’ had already been removed in a bid to make it more suitable for the Renfrewshire church.
She said: ‘I can understand some of it, but first of all it was the “bloodys” and the “God”. We’d take that out and then it’d be something else.
‘The man who is supposed to be having an affair with Charlotte in the play isn’t even in the play, it’s just in a voiceover. But there is no kissing, no cuddling, no nothing.
‘We couldn’t change the play to not be about an affair because we’d need to have a whole new play.’
An email from the minister said: ‘In the Church of Scotland, we have rules and standards we must follow which are passed on to us from the Church of Scotland HQ.
‘In the script the words “damn” and “damned” are used, which are not words that are appropriate in a church setting. Also, the script refers to an affair which is committing adultery and that is not encouraged within the settings of the Church of Scotland. We try to follow the teachings of the Bible, which makes it clear that adultery is not to be tolerated.’
The production has cost the group £1,000. Miss Mearns said church elders held a meeting about the dispute but are yet to announce a decision. She added: ‘I can’t really afford for this to be all for nothing.’
A Church of Scotland spokesman said: ‘The group was presented with a contract in early September to enable it to be staged in the church hall over three evenings in October but they have yet to sign it and return it to the local Kirk session.’
He added: ‘Office bearers at the church have tried hard to be constructive to try and reach a compromise but the playwright and wider group have yet to properly set out their intentions to them in a proper, professional way.’
The minister was contacted for comment.