Sad to read that the brilliant Jerry Springer the Opera is thought unlikely to be produced again after its current regional run finishes, simply because a few religious nutters have got out their banners and keyboards.
Polly Tonybee writes:
For 552 performances in London it was a smash hit with no controversy. It even had good reviews in the Church Times and the Catholic Herald. It wasn’t until the BBC broadcast it that the evangelical extremists of Christian Voice saw their chance. Rude, lewd and raucous the show certainly is – but not enough to stop Cherie Blair taking her children to see it. Blasphemous it barely is. It is just not true that Christ is presented as a coprophiliac – but then the protesters never bothered to see the show. Even if it were blasphemy, outrage has to be tolerated. But Christian Voice got more than 60,000 people to protest to the BBC and put the home addresses of BBC executives on the internet, attracting death threats requiring police protection.
The tour was planned for 39 cities, but the furore panicked many venues, especially those run by local councils.
If you haven’t seen it yet DO! You’ve got the choice of Croydon or Brighton, for one week only.
The producers deserve your money and support, for showing the sort of courage that needs to be more widespread if we are to stop a handful of fanatics damaging our society.
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