Manchester’s Royal Exchange theatre has cancelled the entire run of a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream over references to the conflict in Gaza and trans rights, according to reports.
The production, which had been due to run for five weeks from 6 September, was to be a modern retelling of the Shakespeare classic, set in contemporary Manchester, to a drum ’n’ bass soundtrack.
The first few performances of the play were cancelled, with ticket holders told that the shows had been axed due to “technical issues” and cast injury.
However, the entire run was later cancelled, with the theatre, one of Manchester’s most important cultural venues, saying the decision came following a “number of issues with the production”.
According to the Manchester Evening News, the source of the dispute was a song in the play, which referenced trans rights, and contained the phrase “free Palestine”.
According to the newspaper, the theatre had asked for the song, which involved the audience, to be removed, but the director, Stef O’Driscoll, with the support of the cast, insisted it should stay.
According to the Stage theatre industry newspaper, the dispute also centred around spray-painted “free Palestine” graffiti, which formed part of the set.
“They did the first preview, at which point the theatre said they are going to have to cut the reference to trans rights and free Palestine,” a source close to the production told the MEN. “The director said ‘no, this is my direction, it’s what it’s always been, we’ve had weeks and months and you are now trying to change it after the first preview’. The company were very solid and unified.”
It is understood that the play’s cast and crew have been paid in full for the production. With ticket holders set to receive full refunds, it is likely that the last-minute cancellation will have cost the theatre tens of thousands of pounds.
“We are supporting members in dealing with the impact of this cancellation on their wellbeing and future relationships with the venue,” said a spokesperson for the performing arts trade union Equity.
“Whilst we’re pleased that the workforce will not be out of pocket, the issues that have led to the cancellation of the production require further discussion with Manchester Royal Exchange.
“Equity [on Monday] contacted the theatre requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the reasons for cancellation, the impact on our members and the steps being taken now. We remain very concerned about this situation and its impact on our members.”
The Manchester producer Salo, who had provided the soundtrack and was due to take on the role of the moon in the play, said in an Instagram story that the “work I put into this was huge,” and said she was “gutted” for herself “and everyone involved”.
“Don’t wanna talk about it too much as I’m emotionally drained but will answer any questions about it at a later date,” she said. “Just need some time to process.”
“At the Royal Exchange Theatre we want to work with artists who address complex issues,” the theatre said in a statement. “Sadly, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a number of challenges occurred which led to a decision to cancel the production – including injuries, a delayed technical week and changes late in the process. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to get the show on as planned.”
