Theatre director accuses able-bodied actors of 'creeping up' and playing ... trends now
An award-winning theatre director has accused able-bodied actors of 'creeping up' and playing disabled characters.
Jenny Sealey, who co-directed the opening ceremony for the London Paralympics in 2012, said performers from the deaf and disabled community should get to play those roles instead.
The 61-year-old artistic director of Graeae Theatre Company's comments follow the recent backlash over Shakespeare's Globe casting a non-disabled actor to play Richard III, who suffered from the spinal condition scoliosis.
Graeae Theatre Company is a British organisation composed of deaf and disabled artists.
Jenny Sealey with the Excellence in Touring award for the Graeae Theatre Company, 2022
Ms Sealey, who is joint Artistic Director for the Paralympic Games, pictured in 2012
Sealey, who has been deaf since the age of seven, told Desert Island Discs: 'It's a whole series of a few steps, or wheels, forward and a hundred back.
'We have been making some fantastic in-roads.
'But at the same time, there are people who are creeping up, saying I could play Richard III, and it's like hang on a minute.'
It was revealed in January that Michelle Terry, the Globe's artistic director, will play the role in a summer production of Richard III at the London theatre.
Sealey continued: 'The world out there thinks that acting should be about playing anybody, absolutely, I get that.
'And people say 'Oh Jenny, you want your cake and you can eat it'.
'I said too right, I do, because we actually have not had a full cake yet, we've been given slivers.
'I want the full cake and I want more, so I do want, for my artists, and the deaf and disabled community, to play the roles that are for deaf and disabled characters.
'But also, a whole plethora of roles, until we have absolute priority.'
She continued: 'Best practise? Have deaf and disabled people in the room when you're casting.
'I always cast the best person for the job.
'Their physicality, their disability, their impairment, that is part of who they are.
'Can they act? Yes, brilliant. And if they're rubbish then they don't get the job.'
Shakespeare's The Globe Theatre was embroiled in an ableism row after a non-disabled actor was cast as Richard III who is believed to have suffered from scoliosis. Olivier Award-winning actress and Artistic Director at The Globe, Michelle Terry, would play the titular role this May
