Kinky Boots in Malmo

I am sick to death of this. If black actors play white roles (Eponine) then why can't white actors play a black role? It's acting and fantasy and nothing about privilege.

I understand if it is 12 years a Slave, Miss Siagon, Colour Purple, Mowtown or Dreamgirls when there is a physical reference to the colour of the actors skin as it depicts a timeline and story in history. But in Lola's case Kinky Boots is a show about drag queens and acceptance of sexuality/men dressing as women in British society.

I don't believe skin colour is mentioned once is that correct? Bring on the White, Asian, black, green - I say anyone can and should play it. I have no agenda about skin colour and treat everyone like Elpheba - anyone can play any role.

I'm not too sure that's true

Got Ginger Rogers' savoir faire
With the moves of Fred Astaire
I'm Black Jesus, I'm Black Mary
But this Mary's legs are hairy


First of all the lyrics say that he is Black Jesus and Black Mary. I can say I'm the Black sheep of the family but it doesn't mean I'm Afro carribean. It can be a sub textual reference to being anti society or in this case a biblical notation on the strength of the inner person and how alienating that can be.

You can go as deep as you want guys with these lyrics. Six words in a 2 1/2 hour show. Those lyrics do not say that character is played by a black person. Period.

I'm your Cocoa Butter Bitch
Not just cookie cutter kitsch
I'll provide the unexpected
with a prize that's undetected


Now that to me just shows that he uses simple moisturiser - I use cocoa butter and I'm white! Plus ultimately if a black character can play Eponine then why can't a white person play Lola? I just don't get it.

There is not one clear line in the entire show where the character mentioned that he is black people. Not one.

Alas my point is proven... Unless stated it is all about interpretation!!

All the worlds a stage guys - keep it stress free and love to all xxx

The lyrics in English do suggest that Lola is black. ('That's me, ebony.') We do not know what the Swedish lyrics suggest unless someone can literally translate them for us. Translating lyrics can be very difficult and sometimes end up quite clumsy and words and inferences have to be changed to keep the rhythm and rhymes in the same place. If those references were deliberately removed, then there's a big problem.

It's very odd that they've cast a white Lola. Did no black actors audition - I guess we'll never know. Maybe the film isn't that well known over there so the audiences won't know that Lola's skin colour has changed. In the Korean production, they didn't have a black Lola either. Maybe the main producers/owners of this show need to step in and make sure that the references to Lola being black in Land of Lola are kept (if possible in the same place or somewhere else in the song if necessary) when they're translated in future.

Since the issue was raised, the more I've thought about it, it does make a difference Lola being black AND a drag queen, turning up in straight/white Northampton.

(P.S. I do hope that billyboy will reconsider and come back at some point in the future.)

Whether I find billyboy to be correct or not, I think is irrelevant. I just don't think anyone should be insulting other board members (let alone a new member) like that, it just isn't right.

Ha, I would have if I'd bothered to look at the thread before now. Sorry one of the immediate responses was a rolled-eye emoji. 

As the esteemed orator Christine Daae once said, you are not alone. 

(Also, how many times have we seen anyone on a message board say they're leaving and then... they don't?)

But why should your opinion be the right one and the one which promotes justice? You don't know why billyboy had these thoughts, why didn't you ask him? I really just wish we could all respect each other's opinions, but alas, it doesn't look like this will happen. Instead insults are thrown.

That is all I shall be posting on this subject now, just wanted to put this out there.

You could have told him why his post was wrong and challenged him and brought him round to your way of thinking about the issue of whitewashing. That's just not going to happen now.

Billyboy may have been completely oblivious to the problem and instead of getting angry and condescending at him for that, you could have educated him. With the current situation, no one is better informed.

It is clearly frustrating and upsetting to you that people are oblivious to the problem, but as I've already said your way of dealing with those people is not going to achieve anything. That's why I don't think your quote is relevant, because your 'direct actions' haven't led to anything better or got any way towards the desired end result and wouldn't in most situations.

Edited to add: as you have said you are moving on, so am I.