Downing Street labels Black Out theatre performances ‘wrong’

Downing Street has criticised plans to stage performances of a play about slavery for “all-black-identifying audiences” as wrong.

Two performances of Slave Play, a Broadway production which opens on 29 June and runs for two months at the Noël Coward Theatre, part of the Delfont Mackintosh chain made up of eight London theatres, will be 'Black Out' events.

The Guardian reports that the official spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that he is "a big supporter of the arts" and believes that the arts should be "inclusive and open to everyone, particularly where those arts venues are in receipt of public funding".

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“Obviously, these reports are concerning and further information is being sought. But clearly, restricting audiences on the basis of race would be wrong and divisive,” the spokesperson added.

Asked if this was a threat to strip public funding from theatres which stage Black Out performances, the spokesperson said: “It’s a statement of principle that clearly the arts should be inclusive.

"And I think that particular taxpayers would particularly expect that to be the case when public funding is involved.”

Similar controversy arose last over the decision of Theatre Royal Stratford East, in East London, to designate a showing of Tambo & Bones as "for Black audience members specifically".

But although Damian Green, a former Conservative Cabinet Minister and member of the Culture Select Committee, described that decision as "misguided and a bit sinister", there was no comment from government.

In a statement the producers of Slave Play said: “We want to increase accessibility to theatre for everyone.

"The Broadway production conceived of Black Out nights and we are carefully considering how to incorporate this endeavour as part of two performances in our 13-week run. We will release further details soon.

"To be absolutely clear, no one will be prevented or precluded from attending any performance of Slave Play.”