Bigelow is the protagonist in Carousel, the second work by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and one that’s come to be known as a problem musical, or “the wife-beater musical.” And the problem is not that Billy hits his wife, Julie, but that Julie, seemingly, makes an excuse for him, thereby teaching their daughter Louise that abuse is a form of love.
3 comments:
I have mixed feelings from this article. First off the author in this article is incorrect for stating that Harvey Weinstein inspired the #MeToo movement. That is false. Tarana Burke installed the #MeToo movement ten years ago. We should not be giving credit to a criminal for causing stress to women when we should give credit to an inspirational woman. Second, the reason I find this article mixed is because of the altered endings. Like the dispute of showing Drowsy Chaperone in such a socially charged time there stands the questions of should we even be showing these shows that are so racially and gender biased as evidence of historical context? Should we be allowed to edit something that can be considered history? I don’t think erasing history is the answer, because then from what will we learn of these mistakes? Yes shows can be tragically wrong in all aspects about all kinds of people, but how can you represent that today without offending thousands of people?
I agree with Lily's first comment about Harvey Weinstein not starting the MeToo movement. We need to stop crediting white people for what a black womxn created.
This show seems more problematic to me than just the timing. I don't know if the director did this on purpose but I don't think casting a black man across from a white womxn in a show where the husband beats the wife is not revolutionary at this moment in time. We are in a moment where white people still see black men as out to hurt white womxn. We mustn't forget that less than 70 years ago white men beat, tortured and killed a 14 year old named Emmett Till because a white womxn told them that he whistled at her. On her death bed that womxn admitted that she lied.
As long as black men bare this horrid image of being predators who are out to be sexually violent to every white womxn they see, this type of casting is unacceptable.
I don’t know Carousel very well, but over and over critics bring up the issues with the show. Even though producers may argue that because it is beloved that they should do it, but just change it a little. The show has lost its place in modern times and perpetuates the stereotype of romanticizing abuse. I don’t understand why the show keeps getting produced. But the article is complicated because the author seems to like the musical, but also points out the ways that it is problematic. At the end he even romanticizes the effect it has on people I agree. Also agree with Joss, I while I want diversity in casting, it is blind for the director not see why putting a black man in that role is problematic. More and more we are seeing the importance of intersectional feminism and why context is so important. Even though the director was trying to be progressive, it actually hurts his production.
Post a Comment