Complaints of racism made about play

Press, 13 June 1984, Page 2

Complaints of racism made about play

PA Wellington The Race Relations Office is investigating complaints about a Downstage Theatre production, “Boy’s Own Mcßeth,” in Wellington.

A theatre critic, Mr Phillip Tremewen, and Mr Simon Wilson, a Wellington playwright, have complained that the play is racist.

Mr Tremewen told the Race Relations Conciliator, Mr Hiwi Tauroa, that he was concerned about a scene in which a European male dressed in piupiu and bikini top as a Maori woman, while a second actor played a dumb Polynesian role and a third did gorilla imitations.

“In the words of the Race Relations Act, 1971, this is likely to bring into contempt or ridicule a group of persons in New Zealand on the grounds of colour and race,” he said. Mr Wilson said it was

“just outrageous that anybody, but particularly a cultural institution, thinks it is okay to engage in antiSemitism, constant anti-gay jokes, and anti-Maori satire ... they are all of an offensive nature.”

The Downstage artistic director, Mr John Banas, said that “Boy’s Own Mcßeth” was an entirely frivolous show. It had been Eublicised as a “sort of ulldozer which knocked over a few sacred cows and lampooned -all sorts of elements, including a Hawaiian one.”

Downstage was aware there had been complaints and had written to Mr Tauroa saying it felt those people had been a little over-sensitive. It was happy to co-operate in any investigation.

A spokesman for the Race Relations Office confirmed that complaints were being investigated.