There's an article (actually three) in today's paper slamming the show for casting a female in the role of Jesus, then for a federal grant of $28000. There's a front page photo, with a page five article, then a third article in the arts section.

There are a number of upset individuals around Perth saying that the timing of this play (so close to Easter) is offensive and in bad taste. Having not seen the play myself, I cannot comment on the quality of the performance, lighting and general theatrical presentation, yet it does strike that this is either a very bold choice or a deliberate attempt to shock, not al-together a bad thing.

What gets me the most is the $28000 funding of tax-payer dollars. How did they get it? And how could another group get such government support? $28000 would go a long way if it had been spent on local theatrical groups rather than one single show, which from what I can gather didn't use it on big sets but a fold-out wagon that became a number of fixtures. It's a lot of money.

Absit invidia

Jeff Watkins
Perth based Actor/Performer
Fight/Sword Choreographer
Director

Home Page
Yahoo Blog Page

As the director of The York Crucifixion and Artistic Director of Happy Dagger Theatre it is disconcerting that I am responding to criticism from people who have not yet seen the production. However, in true Easter style it seems, I must answer to scare-mongering and unsubstantiated claims. Knowing the company I keep, I proceed in good faith.

All criticism of the production falls roughly into five categories.

1) The timing of the production is insensitive - We are attempting an exploration of the Easter story, therefore I cannot think of a more apt time. If the suggestion is that people should not think about Easter during Easter, must only think about Easter in a certain way, or that only Christians may ponder love and sacrifice at this time of year, I wholeheartedly disagree.

2) The production seeks to mock Christians - It does not. Four soldiers complain, blaspheme and mock as scripted by the clergy in the 13th century. This production uses a theatrical devise (Bouffon theatre) to portray those soldiers as immortal, otherworldly beings that play nonsense games and ignore Jesus because Jesus refuses to join in. Instead of mocking in the usual mean fashion they do so with delight and exuberance.

3) The production is blasphemous - This criticism seems to come from the misconception that Jesus is being portrayed as a woman. This is not so. Jesus is being played by a woman. Actors are vehicles for the story and as such, can play any age, gender, and/or form that is required of them. The character of Jesus is continually referred to as ‘he’ by the other characters as written in the original script. As for the semi-nudity, the image of crucifixion is for me one of fragility, vulnerability, innocence, and strength. To clothe that image is to dilute its power beyond theatrical use.

4) Happy Dagger Theatre wouldn’t dare do a similar production surrounding an Islamic Holy Day or Season - Any examination of a story that comes from a culture other than my own, not based on any knowledge or experience of that culture, would of course be offensive. It is no more Happy Dagger Theatre’s right to explore Islam than to explore Indigenous culture. My culture is predominantly Christian. As an artist I claim my right to examine the culture that formed me and to do so publicly. The implicit slander in such criticism on peaceful Muslims however, is palpable.

5) The State Government of Western Australia funded the production - Every arts funding application goes through a rigorous selection process. Most major theatre work is budgeted between $100,000 and $300,000. Our $28,000 grant made up less than a quarter of the original budget for The York Crucifixion. The shortfall came from the donation of goods, services and labour by those in support of the project. Happy Dagger Theatre employed twelve professional West Australian artists, five of them for a period of seven weeks.

Happy Dagger Theatre is a growing company with a passion for theatre, a desire to push theatrical bounds, a wish to always improve as artists, and a heartfelt faith that entertaining is the least theatre should be. Many people (Christians and Atheists alike) have already decided what Easter means to them. For the rest of us, Happy Dagger Theatre proposed an opportunity to take a look at the story and perhaps ponder its meaning afresh. The York Crucifixion has certainly done that. However we never imagined it possible, without it ever being seen.

Andrew Hale

Andrew & Renee

http://www.myspace.com/happydaggertheatre

The York Crucifixion

The Rechabites' Hall

6 -23 March, Easter 2008 

I will not see the show as I live in Adelaide.
I find it interesting that you choose to defend the show so passionately on a site where the only criticism expressed directly is over your funding.
I agree with much of what you say as I imagine many others on this site do. Do you plan to spread this defense to a wider audience?

Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
www.tonymoore.id.au

For those outside WA, the York Crucifixion has been front page "news" in our major newspaper and attacks have continued daily in the letters to the editor.

I think Andrew Hale is responding to the wider media rather than this site.

I taught for many years in a Catholic Girls School and we performed passion plays and Stations of the Cross regularly. We always had Jesus played by a girl. Thanks to the York Crucifixion I have discovered that it was blasphemous ....... Funny, didn't feel like that at the time.

Kimberley

Thank you. I will do some internet research and try to follow the debate. I am not a Christian although I was brought up as one and I do not find the idea of a woman playing Jesus as a man a problem.
Andrew, I wish you all the best with the remainder of your run.

Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
www.tonymoore.id.au

Any press is good press. Maintain the rage Happy Dagger Theatre!

David Dalton
Digital Media Coordinator
Arts Hub Australia
dave@artshub.com.au

Visit the Arts Hub Forums for discussion and commentary on all things going on in the Australian Arts scene!

I know I'm as usual coming in late, but as someone who spent 7 years on arts funding panels I feel I need to speak up.

The process is intense, and detailed, and very honest.
It is also incredibly competitive.

The panel bring great intelligence and integrity to the process, and make what turn out to be incredibly difficult decisions.
There is usually only $1 or so for every $3 requested (or even less), and every panelist often cannot fund at least one or two of their favourite projects due to the panel-based process.

On the subject of the amount- well ArtsWA funds professional companies/productions to the amount it takes to actually do this- i.e. The people in this project probably got paid.
Personally I think money much better spent than the financial bottomless black hole of community theatre. To fund this sector properly would cost the entire ArtsWA grants budget, and would probably still fail. (This is not a criticism or attack on community theatre)
At the end of the day, this funding exists for professional artists and companies, and should stay this way. Delineating community/hobby artists from professional artists is important for those of us for whom this is a job.

Furthermore, $28000 is not unusual for a theatre or dance production- they're simply more expensive. Thus the need for govt grants/subsidies.

On the subject matter- I am unfortunately (or luckily for my business) so incredibly busy that I didn't get to the show. However, I was astounded at the West's (otherwise known as the Worst Australian) attack, and yet unsuprised.
One of the reasons christians should celebrate this play at easter is that it is a religion that for the most part will not go crazy over something that challenges their faith. In other words, we should celebrate that this play happened and noone rioted etc., rather than using muslims etc. as a punching bag for why we shouldn't allow 'this sort of art'...
I for one say more 'blaspheme' is needed. Society that doesn't question its beliefs and structures is headed for disaster. Furthermore, this increased capacity to question and reason is surely a measure of our 'civility', and improvement as a species.
Also kudos to the director for pointing out that he wouldn't do this to muslim or other culture as it is not 'his' culture to question. He is challenging his world, not someone else's...
Finally, if you are not willing to sit in the room and watch the play, how in anyone's name can you say it is one way or the other. People getting upset over probably the one paragraph on the front page (I doubt they read further) are so uninformed as to the project, the funding process, and pretty much everything else as to be as bad as those idiots who started firebombing embassies and rioting over a cartoon.
Ignorance is unfortunately still king.

Neville

It's the simple things stupid...