By james art On the fuss over the Bembridge production of The Mikado.
This week’s letter from Lewis Wheeler really highlights the fact that criticism is sometimes met with offense but that’s the nature of the beast and whatever the show is and anyone involved in it has to accept that it’s usually just one person’s opinion a person whether he likes it or not.
Criticism (hopefully constructive) should never be taken as offensive because “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.”
However, I think there is a lot of hot slave air lately and it won’t be long before most things are banned.
There is nothing particularly offensive about the Savoy Operas – Gilbert loved to poke fun at the establishment, and without his incredible literary genius, Sullivan’s wonderful music would never have been written.
Let’s not forget that Gilbert was heavily criticized in his day for his satirical views, but did that stop him?
It may be old-fashioned to some, but wouldn’t it be a sad day if the little gems from another time were triggered, and how far back does the beginning of such a ban have to go?
Everything was “modern” at the time.