Ian McKellen criticises ‘ludicrous’ theatre trigger warnings on his own play
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Ian McKellen has voiced his disapproval of trigger warnings being implemented in theatrical productions, even though they are currently being used in the West End play in which he is playing a leading role.
The current role of the performer, famous for being part of The Lord of the Rings cast, is in Frank and Percy. This show is about the interactions between two elderly men who stumble upon each other while taking their dogs for a walk in Hampstead Heath.
On Tuesday (26 September), The Other Palace in London commenced the performance. Check out The Independent's evaluation by clicking on the link.
In an interview with Sky News, Sir Ian McKellen, who is 84 years old, criticized the fact that the show has a series of trigger warnings listed on their website. These warnings are intended to alert viewers about sensitive topics that could cause discomfort or distress.
The show titled Frank and Percy is expected to have mature language, sexual content, and talks about grief and cancer. It is recommended for ages 14 and up.
McKellen stated that in the areas surrounding theaters and within the lobbies, such as this particular one, attendees are given notice of various elements within the performance. This includes a loud auditory occurrence and a visual display of flashing lights. Additionally, references to smoking and bereavement are also made within the performance and are acknowledged through this notification.
In my opinion, it's completely absurd. Personally, I enjoy being caught off guard by unexpected sounds and unconventional performances on stage.
The photo depicts Ian McKellen and Roger Allam in the movie titled 'Frank and Percy'.
McKellen has previously expressed his disagreement with the idea of putting warning labels on artworks, including Frank and Percy.
In a recent chat with The Evening Standard, McKellen expressed his belief that communication should be unbounded and accessible. He proposed the idea of coupling it with a cautionary advisory for some situations.
When visiting a theater nowadays, you may receive pre-cautionary alerts of potential cigarette smoke, intense sound effects, and themes relating to loss and other sensitive topics.
He added: "Why is it so hard for universities to simply inform their audience when a speaker with differing opinions is invited to speak? All they need to do is "This person will be discussing these topics" and let the audience decide for themselves."
Over the past few years, there has been a lot of discussion regarding trigger warnings. This has mainly been in relation to universities, where pieces of literature, such as Jane Austen's work, have contained alerts regarding possibly sensitive content.
The University of Greenwich received criticism in January after telling students that Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey included gender stereotypes and sexism, which they believe treated the students like children.
