Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London has added a trigger warning before a production of the Bard’s famed tragedy of Julius Caesar to warn attendees of potentially offensive content within the 1599 play.
Despite depicting perhaps the most famous assassination in history, theatre bosses at the Globe theatre have sought fit to provide audiences with “content guidance” that their production of William Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Julius Ceasar will include weapons and fake stage blood.
“Content guidance: Depictions of war, self-harm and suicide, stage blood and weapons including knives,” the trigger warning The Sun newspaper reported.
In addition to the trigger warning, the woke theatre company has also opted for a gender-bending diverse cast, with the role of Marcus Junius Brutus — the most famed assassin of Caesar — given to Anna Crichlow, a Black-British actress.
The production heads have also cast Roman senator and Caesar assasin Cassius with a female actress and Brutus’ wife with a black actress.
The Globe, which is located on the site of Shakespeare’s original theatre, will run the production from July to September.
It is not the first time that the Globe has decided to offer trigger warnings to the public over Shakespeare’s work, with a production of Romeo and Juliet warning last year: “This production contains depictions of suicide, moments of violence and references to drug use. It contains gunshot sound effects and the use of stage blood.
“If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this production of Romeo and Juliet please find details below of organisations offering advice and support.”
Actor Christopher Biggins commented at the time: “Do we have to have signs for everything under the sun. It’s a joke. What they are trying to do is insulting to the mentality of theatre-goers.”
The theatre also embarked last year on a project of “decolonising the plays of Shakespeare” through a series of “Anti-racist Shakespeare webinars” hosted by a far-left professor Farah Karim-Cooper.
Leading educator and the government’s Social Mobility Commissioner Katharine Birbalsingh warned this week that the woke attacks on “dead white men” will soon target Shakespeare in earnest.
“I think that dead white men have something to offer us. Shakespeare has been influencing literature for over 400 years. It’s right to teach Shakespeare,” the Michaela community school headteacher told The Guardian.
“The ideas in Shakespeare are universal. I’m worried about the trend in America that is now influencing what’s happening over here, where eventually we will do away with cultural icons like Shakespeare.”
Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter here @KurtZindulka
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