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re: Philly High School drops MILLIE after complaints of racism
Posted by: BruceinIthaca 04:35 pm EST 12/26/15
In reply to: Philly High School drops MILLIE after complaints of racism - TimDunleavy 02:37 pm EST 12/26/15
Though I am certain I will be accused of PC-ness, I have to say I support the students in this case. That the creators of the recent Broadway version didn't see that, despite their revisions from the film, the show still is extremely problematic in its depiction of Asians and of Mrs. Meers' peculiar version of what Edward Said called "orientalism," had me scratching my head. It wasn't terribly funny when Beatrice Lillie did it back in the 60s, and while I think Harriet Harris is an extraordinarily talented performer (and her "They Don't Know" is quite droll on the OBC), it seems as if they would have done better to have jettisoned the ethnic element completely when they decided to turn it into a stage property--and perhaps found some other way to create a conflict or melodramatic peril than "white slavery" (itself a racist term--separating the sexual trafficking, which is what the term always referred to, from the enslavement of people of color). A lot for me to layer onto a silly musical comedy (not all musical comedies are silly, not even the funny ones, but this one is), yes--but all the more reason why the "revisers" would have done better to re-imagine the plot. At least "The Drowsy Chaperone" made the decision to cut the faux-Asian number before it hit Broadway. Yes, "Aldolpho" is also an ethnic stereotype, but at least one based in Western ethnic roles. Also, that character has antecedents in many of the musicals of the 30s. The closest thing to the Asians in TMM seem to me to be the Asian passengers on "Anything Goes" (walk-ons--are they still included in productions?).
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Next: re: Philly High School drops MILLIE after complaints of racism - LynnB 01:14 pm EST 12/27/15
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