5 ms·

Harvard to host performance of re-imagined Macbeth for Black-only audience

8 points by chuckee 5y ago

b9be520d93286 5y ago
Racist institution
token6053 5y ago
"Hosting a racially segregated performance where people with the wrong racial background are specifically told that they are not welcome flies directly in the face of that commitment." Couldn't agree more. If the races were reversed, there would be outrage. I understand the sentiment of wanting to put on a performance that elevates your culture. But that doesn't give anyone the right to discriminate against others, not matter how well intentioned. Has that not been the message we've been shouting to white supremacists for years (albeit in a much more subdued form)?
aww_dang 5y ago
Putting aside the other issues, the idea to reframe Lady MacBeth as 'ambitious' rather than scheming seems like a leap. >...and a fresh interpretation of Lady Macbeth as an “ambitious Black woman” with a performance designed to elevate “Black female power, femininity, and desire” I'm honestly curious how they will handle this.
h2odragon 5y ago
In the name of Anti-Racism, we're re-inventing segregation. People trying to object to this are labelled "Racists" At some point we have to stop, look at what we're doing, and "say this is silly and unnecessary and we can do things that make more sense"
drooby 5y ago
Amazing… Racism is such a simple concept. It’s baffling how blind people are to their own actions.
moistly 5y ago
> One upcoming show on Oct. 29 is billed as a “Blackout” performance A single performance art piece, comprising a building, audience, and performance, is hardly an outrageous racist action, let alone comparable to, gosh, centuries of broad and deep racism. Lordy.
- rawTruthHurts 5y ago
  It's not that outrageous, it's not centuries, but yes, it's racist. A "white only" performance would have triggered outrage and comparisions with those "centuries" (whatever that means) of racism
  - moistly 5y ago
    No shit a “white only” performance would generate ire, what with this country’s couple centuries of racism. You’re really just stating the stupidly obvious with that statement. The USA has 245 years of unabated racism underlying its culture. That is literally centuries, no need for scare-quotes or disingenuous dismissal of the claim. This is a single performance art piece. Get over it.

8 points by chuckee 5y ago

Racist institution

"Hosting a racially segregated performance where people with the wrong racial background are specifically told that they are not welcome flies directly in the face of that commitment." Couldn't agree more. If the races were reversed, there would be outrage. I understand the sentiment of wanting to put on a performance that elevates your culture. But that doesn't give anyone the right to discriminate against others, not matter how well intentioned. Has that not been the message we've been shouting to white supremacists for years (albeit in a much more subdued form)?

aww_dang 5y ago

Putting aside the other issues, the idea to reframe Lady MacBeth as 'ambitious' rather than scheming seems like a leap. >...and a fresh interpretation of Lady Macbeth as an “ambitious Black woman” with a performance designed to elevate “Black female power, femininity, and desire” I'm honestly curious how they will handle this.

h2odragon 5y ago

In the name of Anti-Racism, we're re-inventing segregation. People trying to object to this are labelled "Racists" At some point we have to stop, look at what we're doing, and "say this is silly and unnecessary and we can do things that make more sense"

drooby 5y ago

Amazing… Racism is such a simple concept. It’s baffling how blind people are to their own actions.

moistly 5y ago

> One upcoming show on Oct. 29 is billed as a “Blackout” performance A single performance art piece, comprising a building, audience, and performance, is hardly an outrageous racist action, let alone comparable to, gosh, centuries of broad and deep racism. Lordy.

rawTruthHurts 5y ago
It's not that outrageous, it's not centuries, but yes, it's racist. A "white only" performance would have triggered outrage and comparisions with those "centuries" (whatever that means) of racism
- moistly 5y ago
  No shit a “white only” performance would generate ire, what with this country’s couple centuries of racism. You’re really just stating the stupidly obvious with that statement. The USA has 245 years of unabated racism underlying its culture. That is literally centuries, no need for scare-quotes or disingenuous dismissal of the claim. This is a single performance art piece. Get over it.