HARRY Potter actress Katie Leung has criticised a London theatre for putting on a play set in China with an all-white cast.
Katie, who plays Cho Chang in the film series based on JK Rowling’s books, said it was “unacceptable” for The Print Room in Westbourne Grove not to cast East Asian performers.
It is due to show Howard Barker’s In the Depths of Dead Love next month, which is “set in ancient China”.
Characters include Mrs Hu, Lord Ghang and Lady Hasi but no British Asian character has been cast.
Writing on Twitter, Leung, from Motherwell, said: “Describing your story set in China as ‘a fable, mythical, ancient, metaphorical, abstract, folkloric’ and now ‘not in any actual real ‘where’?!
“China is a REAL place with REAL people. Using what suits and then disposing of the rest at your pleasure is unacceptable.”
She then posted a link to a Facebook status by fellow actor Daniel York, which stated: “You have elected in your wisdom to produce Howard’s play, set in China with characters with Chinese names but who apparently aren’t Chinese, with white Caucasian actors.
“I know you say it’s not ‘real’. But China IS real. Chinese PEOPLE are real. If you wanted to be ‘not real’ why not invent a fictional world?”
After being labelled as “racist” for their cast selection, the theatre had initially replied: “We are truly sorry for any offence caused by the announcement of our cast for Howard Barker’s remarkable play In the Depths of Dead Love. No offence was intended and, as we explain below, none should be taken.
“The Print Room has long been a champion of multiculturalism and diversity in the arts in London.”
“In the Depths of Dead Love is not a Chinese play and the characters are not Chinese. The production references a setting in Ancient China and the characters’ names are Chinese.”
Meanwhile, Tilda Swinton has been embroiled in a row with Margaret Cho, a Korean-US comedian. Cho accused her of making her feel like a “servant from the Raj” after the actress had contacted her to discuss privately how the “diversity debate” had applied to her latest film Marvel’s Doctor Strange.
There has been criticism of Swinton’s casting as The Ancient One, a character that was originally drawn in the comics as a Tibetan man.
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