If religious zeal inhibits art we are all poorer

[rug]

Gabriella Coslovich
October 3, 2011
Opinion

The mark of a good arts festival is its willingness to create controversy. Not that festival directors deliberately set out to antagonise or offend audiences. Indeed, as one Melbourne Festival director once said to me, you can never predict which events might trigger moral outrage.

Some Melbourne Festival shows, of course, seem irredeemably destined for controversy, such as 2003's Belgian production I Am Blood/Je Suis Sang, which featured nudity and copious quantities of fake blood.

The controversy stirred by others comes as a surprise. I certainly didn't predict the ruckus that would be provoked by Geelong-based Back to Back Theatre's latest festival production, Ganesh Versus the Third Reich. Why would I? I had read the script, and it didn't seem to include anything remotely disrespectful in its depiction of the elephant-headed Lord Ganesh, the Hindu god of overcoming obstacles.

As anyone who has followed the success story that is Back to Back Theatre knows, the company's actors have intellectual disabilities. Ganesh Versus the Third Reich is the company's fourth Melbourne festival offering, and the first of its plays that deliberately focuses on the fact that its actors are intellectually disabled

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/if-religious-zeal-inhibits-art-we-are-all-poorer-20111002-1l3q3.html

[snagglepuss]

1. I'm so glad the theatre didn't back down and it is shocking that it was young

Hindus who were the most rigid. It seems these days everyone is ready to take offense.

[LeftishBrit]

2. Very interesting

I wish I could see the play, but Melbourne's a bit far away!

[rug]

3. Me too. If it's successful they'll probably start up some touring companies.