The Stage

Colour-blind casting

Published Monday 17 March 2008 at 17:05

I must correct Terry Penfold (March 6, page 8) on his comments about the lack of black actors in the theatre. Last week I spent three days in Stratford-upon-Avon to see some of the Shakespeare history plays, which range from Henry II to Henry III. There were four black actors in the ensemble playing different parts in each play. One of them, Chuk Iwuji, actually played the lead in the Henry VI trilogy.

I have also seen a black actress play the lead in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and no, the play wasn’t especially adapted to account for a black actress.There have been other plays where I have seen black actors, including Stratford, but I can’t just at the moment name the plays.

There must be other black actors around, but people are chosen on talent so we don’t know why they are not present. It is, after all, a cut-throat business where acting jobs are concerned.

As to there being few black people in the audiences, the theatre can hardly be blamed if they don’t choose to buy tickets.

Barbara Beavis

Sedgley Avenue

Sneinton Dale

Nottingham