The Witness Podcast: Criticism and ‘political correctness’

The Witness Podcast, Episode 3. Recently British critic Quentin Letts caused a storm by suggesting the RSC cast an actor only because he was black. Is this in fact racist criticism? (Spoiler: Yes, it is!) Is “political correctness” a thing? Can we be critically rigorous and also not bigoted? This month Team Witness – Alison Croggon, Carissa Lee and Robert Reid – dives merrily into the minefield of political correctness and freedom of speech in the arts. Further reading: Quentin Letts and the RSC https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/apr/08/daily-mail-quentin-letts-accused-of-racist-attitude-in-theatre-review Wesley Enoch’s Nick Enright Speech https://www.audreyjournal.com.au/arts/smell-the-air-the-nick-enright-inaugural-speech/ Declan Greene’s response https://www.audreyjournal.com.au/arts/dont-underestimate-the-audience-says-declan-greene/ The Birthday Party controversy on Theatre Notes http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com.au/2009/07/birthday-party-and-other-late-thoughts.html http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com.au/2009/07/birthday-party-revisited.html You can subscribe to Witness podcasts through iTunes or an RSS feed. Click here for instructions on how to subscribe.