Sometime before COVID, I had the opportunity to see “A Christmas Carol” at the now-defunct Triad Stage in downtown Greensboro. It was pretty striking to see a story written in England around 1843– and set in England presumably around that time– cast with multiple African-American actors. This detracted severely from the authenticity of the production.
Michael Knowles addresses below a cultural expectation that a theatrical work set in 1750 Norway be cast in a diverse fashion. Of course, the mere premise is ridiculous:
I never returned to Triad Stage; and I intentionally try avoid productions that use this type of casting that detracts from authenticity.
Sorry, but it’s my dime.
How about Disney’s Song of the South with a white Uncle Remus.
I was in Norway several years ago, Even then, there were very few blacks in Norway’s population (less than 1%).
That would be quite an illustration with respect to that Disney movie, Fred! Of course, they don’t want people to see Song of the South anymore, but that could change quickly with a white Uncle Remus!
The very idea that Norway would have had blacks is frankly ridiculous. It is one of the whitest places on earth.
Amen to you and Knowles. BBC & others are making watchable historical fiction with black Jane Austen characters, etc. I eschew it, like Triad. When you try to make engaging fiction, you want to have as much realism as is possible to make the story believable. What’s next? Casting an ugly, fat man and telling the audience she is the beautiful heroine?
The best we can do, J. Sobran, is talk about it and vote with our wallets.