A race row has erupted in South Africa over the refusal of a white Afrikaans actor to kiss a black cast member during a production of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
Carolyn Forword pulled out of the Cape Town based Riverside Theatre Company's production after 12 performances, leaving another actor to take her place for the remaining 50 shows scheduled.
Forword, 22, was required to lock lips with fellow cast member Unathi Dyantyi in the course of the performance but had a hard time delivering - she even pushed Dyantyi away on occasion. The reasons she gave for her reluctance-to-smooch, was that it was "unhygienic." She also said she thought kissing sent the wrong message to younger audiences.
Carolyn Forword pulled out of the Cape Town based Riverside Theatre Company's production after 12 performances, leaving another actor to take her place for the remaining 50 shows scheduled.
Forword, 22, was required to lock lips with fellow cast member Unathi Dyantyi in the course of the performance but had a hard time delivering - she even pushed Dyantyi away on occasion. The reasons she gave for her reluctance-to-smooch, was that it was "unhygienic." She also said she thought kissing sent the wrong message to younger audiences.
Carolyn Forword
Not surprisingly, Dyantyi was offended by Forword's attitude, especially the bit about kissing him being "unhygienic". The kiss was simply a lip lock - no tongues involved. He described her comments as racially motivated... an accusation she denies.
He said he was made to feel "like a piece of shit" as a result of Forword's standoffish ways.
Dyantyi made the point that the kiss was integral to the performance. He said it also conveyed a message "that it's OK for different cultures to fall in love. We're a multicultural country and we're trying to convey that."
He said he was made to feel "like a piece of shit" as a result of Forword's standoffish ways.
Dyantyi made the point that the kiss was integral to the performance. He said it also conveyed a message "that it's OK for different cultures to fall in love. We're a multicultural country and we're trying to convey that."
Unathi Dyantyi
Apparently Forword also had an issue with performing the play at her old school. Dyantyi got the impression that she was less than enthused about the idea because she didn't want her parents seeing her "being kissed by a black dude."
The director Leslie Ehrhardt, 42, said Forword told him that the kissing scene would 'not go down well with my people' - or words to that effect.
Forward attempted to defend her non-compliance on the intimacy front by claiming that kissing was unhygienic since it was 'a traveling show.' She didn't spell out the mysterious connection between locomotion and oral hygiene.
In the opinion of Ehrhardt there was no doubt that there was "a racial element" to Forword's kissing aversion. He noted that she would push Dyantyi away and screw up her face as though kissing him was the worst thing imaginable.
He said the theatre has been a vehicle for challenging racist views in South Africa, and expressed disappointment that an actor like Forword who had grown up in the post-apartheid era should adopt an attitude that led to a "horrible situation."
I suspect there's more to this story than news reports convey, but on one level this kissing spat seems rather juvenile and silly. Perhaps Forword is picky about who she puckers up for at the best of times, perhaps she prefers same-sex smooching... who knows. But those who witnessed the incidents have little doubt her actions were motivated by racism. This has raised questions about underlying racist attitudes in SA, particularly since the last place you would expect to run into it is in liberal arts circles. It also raises questions about Forword's professionalism.
Presumably when she agreed to take on the role she knew what it involved. Her reasons for not delivering don't come across as terribly convincing. Kids might find kissing - any kissing on-stage - yucky or amusing or even intriguing, but they're not likely to be traumatized by it. What might disturb them more is the sight of Forword screwing up her face and pushing Unathi Dyantyi away with apparent disgust.
As for her "hygiene" complaint, there are products available that also 'travel' so that doesn't come across as very convincing either.
A show that was in part about promoting racial harmony has become a talking point for unintended reasons. Forword vehemently denies her actions were racist and is complaining that "now I'm seen as a racist"... if there is something we're not getting in the coverage, she should clarify her position because as it stands more than a few people would add "for good reason."
The director Leslie Ehrhardt, 42, said Forword told him that the kissing scene would 'not go down well with my people' - or words to that effect.
Forward attempted to defend her non-compliance on the intimacy front by claiming that kissing was unhygienic since it was 'a traveling show.' She didn't spell out the mysterious connection between locomotion and oral hygiene.
In the opinion of Ehrhardt there was no doubt that there was "a racial element" to Forword's kissing aversion. He noted that she would push Dyantyi away and screw up her face as though kissing him was the worst thing imaginable.
He said the theatre has been a vehicle for challenging racist views in South Africa, and expressed disappointment that an actor like Forword who had grown up in the post-apartheid era should adopt an attitude that led to a "horrible situation."
I suspect there's more to this story than news reports convey, but on one level this kissing spat seems rather juvenile and silly. Perhaps Forword is picky about who she puckers up for at the best of times, perhaps she prefers same-sex smooching... who knows. But those who witnessed the incidents have little doubt her actions were motivated by racism. This has raised questions about underlying racist attitudes in SA, particularly since the last place you would expect to run into it is in liberal arts circles. It also raises questions about Forword's professionalism.
Presumably when she agreed to take on the role she knew what it involved. Her reasons for not delivering don't come across as terribly convincing. Kids might find kissing - any kissing on-stage - yucky or amusing or even intriguing, but they're not likely to be traumatized by it. What might disturb them more is the sight of Forword screwing up her face and pushing Unathi Dyantyi away with apparent disgust.
As for her "hygiene" complaint, there are products available that also 'travel' so that doesn't come across as very convincing either.
A show that was in part about promoting racial harmony has become a talking point for unintended reasons. Forword vehemently denies her actions were racist and is complaining that "now I'm seen as a racist"... if there is something we're not getting in the coverage, she should clarify her position because as it stands more than a few people would add "for good reason."
Guardian story here.
Sowetan article here.
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