Globe adds ‘ableism’ warning to Midsummer Night’s Dream
‘I wanted to bring attention to the violent language used against Hermia and her height as it has often been overlooked’
AN ABLEISM trigger warning has been added to A Midsummer Night’s Dream after The Globe cast an actor with dwarfism.
William Shakespeare’s 400-year-old comedy is a central plank of the London theatre’s summer series.
Earlier this year, bosses alerted theatregoers that “language of violence, sexual references, misogyny and racism” features in the play, which tells the tale of rebellious lovers eloping to a magical forest.
Now, The Globe has updated that “content guidance” to include “ableism” – but claimed Shakespeare’s script only became ableist when Francesca Mills, an actress with achondroplasia, was cast in March as the young Athenian woman Hermia. “Ableism” is discrimination or prejudice against people with disabilities.
The following month, in April, The Globe’s ticket booking website was updated to include the warning.
Producers explained that audiences may be distressed by Lysander’s “bullying” lines such as “get you gone, you dwarf ”, as well as Helena’s famous line: “Though she be but little, she is fierce.”
A spokesman for the theatre added: “We use Shakespeare’s original words, and due to the casting of Francesca Mills, some words are ableist.”
Hermia is taunted with words such as “minimus” and she regularly retorts “Little! Again! Nothing but low and little”.
Mills, who has starred in Netflix and Disney+ shows, said: “I wanted to bring attention to the violent language used against Hermia and her height as it’s often been overlooked and laughed at in the past. I feel empowered every night I perform. It’s clear that audiences are hearing the words in a new way and it’s encouraging that they immediately side with Hermia in the fight.”
Director Elle While said that “there has been disbelieving silence, and also audible gasps of shock and support on behalf of Hermia” from audiences.
The move has been backed by disability campaigners. Sophia Moreau, a diversity and inclusion consultant, said it was “about time theatres warned audiences of ableist content” as these groups “have been used as a punching bag for entertainment for centuries”.
The Globe has added trigger warnings to a raft of plays and held a series of “Anti-racist Shakespeare” seminars intended to “decolonise” the Bard’s work. The play runs until Aug 12.