Has Anyone Noticed That Romeo Is Black?

Henry Louis Gates webzine, The Root ^ | 30 July | Jason Page

[flowerplough]

Romeo is black. And no one cares. While this might be big news in America, no one in London is making any fuss about Adetomiwa Edun in Romeo & Juliet, playing through August 23 at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Here, it’s just damn good theater. No nuance, no emotional triggers playing on Edun’s ethnicity.

I admit that I was excited and skeptical about it, feeling very American in my belief that this was astonishing news and curious about how the Globe Theatre’s audiences would respond. I watched with a grin, caught the Bard’s lines flying and peeped that black man kissing a white woman on stage, out in the open for the Globe to see. And my perception of racial politics, which is a vicious mixture of pride, historical memory and fear, ebbed and flowed, but never washed up onto the stage.

Today, like in any other theater, there is always opportunity for race to play center stage. But not in this production of Romeo & Juliet. After the play, I walked out into the London night feeling like they had triumphed over me, the naïve American who wanted those winks because I was used to American entertainment playing to our perceptions of race. But I was denied that quick satisfaction and found the true essence of Shakespeare.

[flowerplough]

The writer's African-American-community-organizer/activist sensibilities made him think that a black man playing Romeo, in England, was important. But it ain't.

[silverleaf]

Next, a white Othello...

[Locomotive Breath]

My thoughts exactly. THAT would excite comment and won’t happen.

[RexBeach]

“Where’re the white women at?”

[the invisib1e hand]

The writer's African-American-community-organizer/activist sensibilities made him think that a black man playing Romeo, in England, was important. But it ain't.

Some black people are at peace with themselves. Some have a mad desire to be white, which seems to color their judgment of everything.

[Cecily]

Some people are never going to figure out that color blindness, or at least indifference to color, is real. Such people truly live 50+ years in the past, while most everyone else has long since moved on.

[edpc]

I understand at the end, he kilt himself.

[1rudeboy]

While this might be big news in America, no one in London is making any fuss about Adetomiwa Edun in Romeo & Juliet, playing through August 23 at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

Oh fer cryin' out loud . . . c'mon, Mr. Page.

[brwnsuga]

Patrick Stewart of Star Trek fame, played Othello with an all black supporting cast.

[Sloth]

I admit that I was excited and skeptical about it, feeling very American in my belief that this was astonishing news and curious about how the Globe Theatre’s audiences would respond. I watched with a grin, caught the Bard’s lines flying and peeped that black man kissing a white woman on stage, out in the open for the Globe to see.

WTH did he expect to happen? People in the audience standing up in shock and yelling, "Oy, that bloke's black!" Would he have expected that of an American audience? What a delusional nut.

[brwnsuga]

It seems to me white women say ‘where’s all the black men at?’

[brwnsuga]

WTH did he expect to happen? People in the audience standing up in shock and yelling, “Oy, that bloke’s black!” Would he have expected that of an American audience? What a delusional nut.

I attended a musical where a friend of mine, who was black, was playing Jesus. When he come onstage, SOME of the older white folks, walked out. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was a little hurtful to me to think people (especially those who call themselves Christians) still acted like that. This was at CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network) here in Virginia.

[atomic conspiracy]

This is not big news in America. Page’s characterization is the same kind of tiresome and bigoted anti-American strawman we are used to seeing from the less creative elements of the British chatterati. As we (actually do) say here in America, get a life, Page.

[LongElegantLegs]

If only we were as cool, tolerant and awesome as the British. It's so embarrassing to me that they have a black PM, but we're far too racist to have a black President.

Oh, wait...

[LongElegantLegs]

If only we were as cool, tolerant and awesome as the British. It's so embarrassing to me that they have a black PM, but we're far too racist to have a black President.

Oh, wait...

[doodad]

No doubt that is why Juliet’s family disapproved. The writer sees right through those bunch of peckerwoods.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Uhhh.... Kenneth Branagh’s film of “Much Ado About Nothing” had Denzel Washington play the Italian Prince “Don Pedro” back in 1993.

A black man playing an Italian role in a Shakespeare play?

Not that big of a deal.

[Sloth]

That is pretty horrible. :(

[cripplecreek]

While this might be big news in America

Um....why?

[Sloth]

Kenneth Branagh’s film of “Much Ado About Nothing” had Denzel Washington play the Italian Prince “Don Pedro” back in 1993.

And even then, 16 years ago, nobody raised an eyebrow.