Carole Malone has fumed at a West End play’s decision to ban white theatregoers from attending their show.
Slave Play, starring Kit Harrington, best known for his role as Jon Snow in HBO’s Game of Thrones, will be on for two nights for black audiences.
The Noël Coward theatre in London’s West End will host the play that will be “free from the white gaze” from 29 June to 21 September.
Daily Express columnist Malone spoke on GB News about the controversial move, claiming it is “demonising white people”.
Carole Malone has hit out at a play that will be 'free from the white gaze'
GB NEWS / GETTY
“This is discrimination. Pure and simple. I’m not even sure this is legal”, she said.
“Can you imagine if a theatre said only white people for two nights?
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“Would white people be inclined to watch this play now? I don’t think so.”
Playwright O Harris told BBC Sounds he was “so excited” to put on the nights, claiming it will do wonders for bolstering diversity amongst theatregoers.
“One of the things we have to remember is that people have to be radically invited into a space to know that they belong there and in most places in the west, poor people and black people have been told that they do not belong inside the theatre.
“For me, as someone who wants and yearns for black and brown people to be in the theatre, who comes from a working class environment, who wants people who do not make six figures to feel like theatre is a place for them, it is a necessity to radically invite them in with initiatives that say 'you're invited'. Specifically you.”
The play stars Kit Harrington and was written by Jeremy O HarrisGetty
The matter was discussed on GB News
GB NEWS
Malone argued the initiative rows back on efforts to champion equality which we have “busted a gut” for.
“This playwright says he’s actually ‘very excited’ by this”, she said.
“The theatre is prohibitive for people black and white unless you’re on a certain salary.
“We bust a gut in this country in terms of equality, in terms of black and white, very tolerant.
“We try really hard. We’re trying more than most other countries and the idea that white people people are going to be aggressive to people in our West End theatre is beyond.”
Daily Express Political Editor Sam Lister waded in on the discussion to suggest the playwright’s actions are a ploy to garner publicity.
“He has free publicity, everyone is talking about it”, she said.
“Would we be talking about this play otherwise? I don’t think so.”