Theater Near You

3 thoughts on “Theater Near You”

1. I’ve experienced not pleasant surprise when “British actor Paapa Essiedu has been cast as Severus Snape in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series, representing a race-swapped, Black portrayal of the character.”

   The casting has divided fans, with some supporting the diversity, while others criticize the departure from the “sallow-skinned,” pale appearance described in the books. Some fans expressed concerns that casting a Black actor as a frequently bullied character might change the context of the story’s bullying dynamics.

   Severus Snape had an unhealthy obsession with Harry Potter’s mother Lily, and was the one who told the main villain of the prophecy, leading to murder of HP’s parents.

   He hated Harry’s father, and the 5th book shows how teenaged James Potter threatened to strip Snape of this clothes in front of other school students. The scene is cut short, leaving us ignorant whether he fulfilled this threat.

   Casting a Black actor for this role adds racist subtext to HP universe in several ways.

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   1. “Casting a Black actor for this role adds racist subtext to HP universe”

      British productions have been casting black actors in roles depicting known white people for years…. Jane Seymour (the wife of Henry VIII not the actress), vikings. I don’t see how this is any different.

      Why can’t black actors play villains?

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2. Nah, go big or stay home, retell the beloved children’s story as “Blow Blight” played by a one legged, black trans dwarf. The usual artsy fartsy theatre critics will swoon ;-D

   

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