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THE IRISH TIMES has paused its judging process for this year’s Irish Theatre Awards.
It follows criticism of what’s believed to be a lack of diversity in the process, with one creative team in particular pointing out that only white members of its team were nominated.
A statement from the creative team described the production of An Octoroon as a “ground-breaking moment”, as it was “Ireland’s first mainstage production with a majority non-white cast”.
It also featured the “first black director on The Abbey Stage” in a production that “unabashedly tackles race and racism”.
On 4 February, nominees for the 2022 Irish Times Theatre Awards were published and An Octoroon was nominated for Best Production.
However, among a cast of ten people, only the two white actors were nominated for individual awards for Best Supporting Actor and Actress.
“We believe this is unacceptable,” read the statement from the creative team of An Octoroon.
A Statement from Members of the An Octoroon Creative Team in response to @irishtimes #IrishTimesTheatreAwards nominations.
— Black and Irish (@Black_andirish) February 10, 2023
Please read our full statement here. pic.twitter.com/pL8GEC0KCq
“It is worth noting that all 16 acting nominations are white, which does not represent today’s Ireland and the increasing diversity.”
While the creative team did not want to “minimise the achievements of the white cast members”, they expressed disappointment at the “lack of recognition for the extraordinary work of the actors from the global majority”.
“It is a painful irony given that the play depicts the exploitation of people of colour in the face of structural racism,” the statement added.
The Irish Times today announced that it is to undergo a “review of their processes”.
An article published in today’s paper noted that the review of its processes comes “after the creative team behind an Abbey Theatre play expressed concern about the 2022 nominations”.
The adjudication of plays staged this year, which had already begun, will be suspended will this review takes place.
A statement from The Irish Times said: “We believe this is an opportune moment to review our selection and adjudication processes.
“To facilitate this review, the 2023 judging process has been paused.”
The statement added: “We stand over the independence and integrity of the 2022 judging panel and its adherence to the application of the current criteria.
“We look forward to collaborating with the theatre community to celebrate their success and quality of productions and to reflect the diversity of culture and society in Ireland.”
The Irish Theatre Award ceremony for 2022 will be held on 26 March.
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Aren’t the awards meant to be for excellence? Not the colour of the performers skin. Surely that would be racist.
@Des Hanrahan: Of course, first thing I thought too, but the story is nonetheless a bit odd: first mainstage production with majority non-white cast & black director, and then out of its ten actors precisely the 2 white ones get nominated. So I wouldn’t say this is just picking any old opportunity to complain; I can well understand this raised some eyebrows.
Er, maybe the just weren’t good enough to win an award?
Thing is, if the nominations are changed, what magical change suddenly made the nominators see that another actor/actress was better suited? We all know now the change of mind will be based on inclusion. Going forward we may expect all such mixtures to be split down the middle, making a mockery of true talent? Goodbye Truth.
@Keth Warsaw: So the status quo is clearly not making a mockery of true talent?
@Nicholas McMurry: Don’t not get what you’re saying, sorry.
These stories always show how annoying everyone involved is. The enlightened geniuses at the IT nominating the white cast members in a predominantly non-white production. The ungrateful production whinging about who should have been nominated instead. Why would you bother…
It will be such a hollow win for anyone after this kerfuffle now
May I also say that I find the theme of the play a tad annoying. How special it could have been to put on Dorian Gray or something truly grand. No, it has to lecture the audience like a public information film and remind the audience of the differences of race rather than what combination of race can achieve. Anyone with intelligence watching a film or play will appreciate the acting and character. Quite disappointed.
@Keth Warsaw: Perhaps rather than a lecture it is a reflection of life as some people actually experience it? Isn’t that also what art is supposed to be about? It allows you to get a sense of things without the trouble of actually experiencing it first hand (and incidentally imagine having to actually live through Dorian Gray’s story).
Example being the new TV series of Interview with the vampire. I think excellent/brilliant, and the black actors who play Louis and Claudia…. Outstanding! (long time fan since 1985). I love it, but would I watch if it started lecturing me?
@Mick Tobin: Well yes there is that of course, but sometimes demonstrating that all/ most people are basically the same, without making a point of it is stronger, and more subtle. I get your point ok, but lecturing people may annoy some in the wrong way. I’m annoyed because I would have liked to have seen escapism within the magic of theatre. Maybe I’m selfish. Make a tv movie, or put it on Fair city with a bigger audience.
@Mick Tobin: I don’t understand the difficulty putting on Dorian Gray.
But no, I do not want to be reminded of reality in the theatre, and to remind an actor of his/her reality is only enforcing their current fear perhaps. Personally Nally I think theatre should be an unreal thing. I don’t find reflections on reality via theatre artistic. But that’s just me. I would like to wish all the actors and actresses well in the future however.
@Mick Tobin: One more point: Is this what Irish theatre’s span of hope is for these actors: ‘Play yourself’ – play your reality? Are we saying they can do no better great acting?
@Keth Warsaw: Point taken Keth, but there is no obligation to for any theatre company to demonstrate that people are basically the same, their job is to tell stories, and if this particular one is a reflection of some dimension of life in Ireland then it’s fair play.
And now that I come to think of it: perhaps the fact that some people might get annoyed ‘in the wrong way’ – as the tally of likes here appears to demonstrate – then maybe that’s evidence that this is actually the sort of story that needs to be told if you catch my drift.
@Keth Warsaw: Dorian Gray is a lecture on the need for youth and beauty and its corruption. Why is it wrong to perform a play about the experiences of minorities? Just because you feel lectured to it doesn’t mean that these are not valid artistic themes.
@Nicholas McMurry: It is a valid theme, of course, it just feels as if the subject of race struggle s being stereotyped, and that minorities are capable of nothing more than reflecting upon themselves with being encouraged otherwise – quite the opposite instead. That’s why I mention, if in an arbitrary manner ‘Dorian Gray’ as an example which has nothing to with race, and everything to do with escapism from the realities of life. Did Oscar Wilde concentrate his works such as DG, The soul of man, Lady Windameer etc on being gay? No.
@Mick Tobin: ‘Basically the same’? Isn’t that the crux of such a play? That at heart we are the same? The likes here are not about the theme of the play, but moreso simply about the truth in voting, and how truth might be traded for the purposes of symbolic diversity.
@Nicholas McMurry: I don’t see it as an artistic theme, this play about minority”s struggles that seeks to anchor and stereotype said minorities in an unmovable place reinforcing their fears as if that is all and ever their life will represent. This reinforcement of minority agendas (race, gay size, disability) seems to say ‘this is all you will ever be to the rest of the world’. I disagree with this sentiment, and wish to see tbe human inside the frame, and in the context of acting: to see ‘talent tested’ by way of true drama. If I want an everyday soap, I’ll watch Fair city.
I wonder where this wokism will stop. If it was 8 white actors and 2 black actors and only the two black actors got nominated there wouldn’t be a word about it. I’m fed up of this bs. Will the world only ever be fair when whites are enslaved to blacks and we can be punished for the sins of our ancestors? Is that when we will be “even” and the modern world can function equitably?
@Alan Clarke: Chill out, this isn’t about punishment, it’s about reviewing a review process that might turn out to have some merit (and maybe it won’t). And if some so-called wokism is BS (e.g. “chest feeding”) it doesn’t mean everything is ‘wokism’.
@Alan Clarke: When is the last time two black actors (any two black artists) were nominated out of a field of white potentials? The world will be fair when we have a level playing field.
@Mick Tobin: I don’t need to chill out thanks all the same. Just because I have a different but equally valid opinion to yours. Why don’t YOU chill out and who made you the arbitrator of what is woke and what isn’t?
@Nicholas McMurry: and when will we have a level playing field in your educated opinion? when exactly half of all nominees and winners are of black and white ethnicity REGARDLESS of talent and deservedness? shur let’s just give everyone an Oscar/Bafta/whateveryourhavingyourself award for just taking part and we’ll pay no heed to who really deserves it for skill or talent just so long as nobody is offended. Please do let me in on your insightful idea of what will constitute a level playing field, I really am intrigued.
Read about this a couple of weeks ago. Very surprised that the luvvies who vote for this are racist. Last time I went to the Peacock, Abbey or Gate the audience was overwhelming black rights activists. Can’t understand this at all
*grabs popcorn*
Woke awards.
Is it possible that if the white race are guilty of anything, it is the patronizing of minorities, instead of saying honestly ‘No, tough, not good enough, try again’. Patronizing a minority is the closest thing to racism, sexism, or any ism, without going full on – ‘You’re not our equal, so we’re going to treat you more special than others’.
have your say