All female cast advert

[paulears]

I’ve seen an ad for female actors for a tour. My understanding is that unless certain criteria are fulfilled this is not on? It’s one of those things where all the male parts are played by females.

[nuttytechy]

I know of a Shakespeare tour where it is the opposite.

 

All Male actors for the tour as they want to replicate original Shakespeare plays including men playing female parts.

[Seano]

They're not hiring a cleaner or a company manager, it's casting. Of course it's legal.

[kerry davies]

An employer may discriminate lawfully in limited circumstances: where, having regard to the nature or context of the work, being of a particular sex, race, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age (or not being a transsexual person, married or a civil partner) is an occupational requirement.

If there are artistic reasons they are obviously an occupational requirement but I think that the practicalities of touring can make it just as valid a requirement.

[Just Some Bloke]

Actors are specifically excluded from the relevant law, along with religious leaders, people working at women's refuges and various other occupations (including, controversially, soldiers on the front line).

[gareth]

It's probably perfectly legal. It's also exactly the sort of millennial left-wing PC box-ticking exercise that's making me fall out of love with the world of theatre.

 

(To clarify - I don't have any objection whatsoever to any of these things in and of themselves. But when it gets to the point of casting female actors in male roles - or vice versa - for no other reason than to meet some sort of 'quota' or something, then I can't help but feel that it's being done for the wrong reasons. The above statement does not in any way reflect my politics in general! Just my feelings about the direction in which some parts of the world of theatre seem to be heading at the moment.)

Edited July 15, 2019 by gareth

[Seano]

Aw, diddums.

[sandall]

It's also exactly the sort of millennial left-wing PC box-ticking exercise that's making me fall out of love with the world of theatre.

That's a lot of baggage to hang on one ad .......

[paulears]

If the law is set to one side for the acting/entertainments industry, then why are we endlessly bombarded with all this quota stuff? Auditions are horrible enough, but, most times, they cast the right people. I've often wondered why artistic decisions are 'interfered with'. If somebody goes for a job as a technical or crew member, my current reading is that nobody cares at all about any ethnicity, gender or even age - they just pick the person who will fit in and can do the job. The notion that I cannot pick Jane, the best fit for the job because I need a new Joe is gone. Maybe casting all male for historical accuracy is good and interesting, and maybe casting all females has a point? I just hadn't realised there was a legal cop out to enable us to be selective in this way.

[sleah]

It could be more about funding etc.

 

I volunteer for a local community radio station and we are seriously struggling to get grants. We've come to the conclusion it's because we're far too inclusive. Anyone is welcome!

If we catered for a particular group, be it elderly, a particular gender (or not!!!), race, religion or other defined group, chances are grant funders would be queueing up to give us money...

 

An 'All Female' theatre company is likely to have access to more funding than a group who include anyone and everyone. This is assuming they are a group who are eliglable for grant funding etc :blink:

 

Sorry for the mini-rant but 'one' does feel that it sometimes pays (quite literally) to be sexist, ageist etc etc.. :(

[nuttytechy]

It could be more about funding etc.

 

I volunteer for a local community radio station and we are seriously struggling to get grants. We've come to the conclusion it's because we're far too inclusive. Anyone is welcome!

If we catered for a particular group, be it elderly, a particular gender (or not!!!), race, religion or other defined group, chances are grant funders would be queueing up to give us money...

 

An 'All Female' theatre company is likely to have access to more funding than a group who include anyone and everyone. This is assuming they are a group who are eliglable for grant funding etc :blink:

 

 

You are right about grants.

 

2 random companies go for an arts council grant doing the same thing eg an original Shakespeare run. 1 of the companies will have a mixture of male or female cast members. The other company is going to go all male cast to replicate the whole production from historic times. The arts council will tend to lean towards 2nd company as they are going to recreate the historic and original Shakespeare production.

 

I have used Shakespeare as an example because it was originally men playing female characters until 44 years or so after his death when a female were starting to get involved in his works.