Slāv: Difference between revisions
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''SLĀV'', billed as "a theatrical odyssey based on slave songs", was met with growing controversy, with protesters accusing it of [[cultural appropriation]] and cultural insensitivity. Musician [[Moses Sumney]], after cancelling his performance at the festival due to SLĀV, was quoted as saying "there is no context in which white people performing black slave songs is okay. Especially not while they are dressed like poor field workers or cotton pickers. Especially not while they are directed by a white director and in a theater charging loads of money...This kind of black imitation is very reminiscent of [[blackface]] [[Minstrel show|minstrel shows]]. The only thing missing is black paint."<ref>https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/montreal-jazz-fest-comes-under-fire-for-a-show-based-on-slave-songs-with-a-mostly-white-cast</ref> |
''SLĀV'', billed as "a theatrical odyssey based on slave songs", was met with growing controversy, with protesters accusing it of [[cultural appropriation]] and cultural insensitivity. Musician [[Moses Sumney]], after cancelling his performance at the festival due to SLĀV, was quoted as saying "there is no context in which white people performing black slave songs is okay. Especially not while they are dressed like poor field workers or cotton pickers. Especially not while they are directed by a white director and in a theater charging loads of money...This kind of black imitation is very reminiscent of [[blackface]] [[Minstrel show|minstrel shows]]. The only thing missing is black paint."<ref>https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/montreal-jazz-fest-comes-under-fire-for-a-show-based-on-slave-songs-with-a-mostly-white-cast</ref> |
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With increasing demands for its cancellation, an [[open letter]] of protest against the show that attracted over 1,500 signatures, and the threat of other scheduled artists withdrawing from the festival, the festival's administration cancelled the remaining performances.<ref>[https://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/music/jazz-fest-cancels-remaining-slav-performances?video_autoplay=true ''The Montreal Gazette'': Dunlevy: Jazz fest cancels SLĀV, but questions remain]</ref> "Since the beginning of SLĀV performances, the festival team has been shaken and strongly affected by all the comments received," L'Équipe Spectra, which produces the festival, said in a statement to the ''[[Montreal Gazette]]''. "We would like to apologize to those who were hurt. It was not our intention at all." The show had sold out through its run to July 14. The festival said the decision to cancel had been made in consultation with Bonifassi.<ref>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/theatre-and-performance/article-montreal-jazz-festival-cancels-apologizes-for-robert-lepage-and-betty/ ''The Globe and Mail'': Montreal jazz festival cancels, apologizes for Robert Lepage slave-song show]</ref> |
With increasing demands for its cancellation, an [[open letter]] of protest against the show that attracted over 1,500 signatures, and the threat of other scheduled artists withdrawing from the festival, the festival's administration cancelled the remaining performances.<ref>[https://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/music/jazz-fest-cancels-remaining-slav-performances?video_autoplay=true ''The Montreal Gazette'': Dunlevy: Jazz fest cancels SLĀV, but questions remain]</ref> "Since the beginning of SLĀV performances, the festival team has been shaken and strongly affected by all the comments received," L'Équipe Spectra, which produces the festival, said in a statement to the ''[[Montreal Gazette]]''. "We would like to apologize to those who were hurt. It was not our intention at all." The show had sold out through its run to July 14. The festival said the decision to cancel had been made in consultation with Bonifassi.<ref>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/theatre-and-performance/article-montreal-jazz-festival-cancels-apologizes-for-robert-lepage-and-betty/ ''The Globe and Mail'': Montreal jazz festival cancels, apologizes for Robert Lepage slave-song show]</ref> In the official Statement by the Festival on the cancellation of performances of SLĀV the Festival names Bonifassi's decision and the Festival's concerns for public safety as their reasons for cancellation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nouvelles.equipespectra.ca/blogue/?p=22076&lang=en|title=Statement by the Festival on the cancellation of performances of SLĀV.|website=nouvelles.equipespectra.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-07-11}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 16:06, 11 July 2018
SLĀV is a controversial Canadian theatre production.
It was created by Béatrice Bonifassi, with Robert Lepage as stage director. The pair launched the show on June 26, 2018, during the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
SLĀV, billed as "a theatrical odyssey based on slave songs", was met with growing controversy, with protesters accusing it of cultural appropriation and cultural insensitivity. Musician Moses Sumney, after cancelling his performance at the festival due to SLĀV, was quoted as saying "there is no context in which white people performing black slave songs is okay. Especially not while they are dressed like poor field workers or cotton pickers. Especially not while they are directed by a white director and in a theater charging loads of money...This kind of black imitation is very reminiscent of blackface minstrel shows. The only thing missing is black paint."[1]
With increasing demands for its cancellation, an open letter of protest against the show that attracted over 1,500 signatures, and the threat of other scheduled artists withdrawing from the festival, the festival's administration cancelled the remaining performances.[2] "Since the beginning of SLĀV performances, the festival team has been shaken and strongly affected by all the comments received," L'Équipe Spectra, which produces the festival, said in a statement to the Montreal Gazette. "We would like to apologize to those who were hurt. It was not our intention at all." The show had sold out through its run to July 14. The festival said the decision to cancel had been made in consultation with Bonifassi.[3] In the official Statement by the Festival on the cancellation of performances of SLĀV the Festival names Bonifassi's decision and the Festival's concerns for public safety as their reasons for cancellation.[4]
References
- ^ https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/montreal-jazz-fest-comes-under-fire-for-a-show-based-on-slave-songs-with-a-mostly-white-cast
- ^ The Montreal Gazette: Dunlevy: Jazz fest cancels SLĀV, but questions remain
- ^ The Globe and Mail: Montreal jazz festival cancels, apologizes for Robert Lepage slave-song show
- ^ "Statement by the Festival on the cancellation of performances of SLĀV". nouvelles.equipespectra.ca. Retrieved 2018-07-11.