Strength to Try

[strength-to-try]

Hi everyone,

This is the start of what I hope is a group effort to foster an inclusive environment in the POTO community. As phans of a fandom (fans of a phandom?) that has problematic source/canonical materials, we have the responsibility to engage with it and with each other in a thoughtful manner.

Over the past few weeks, I've seen people express feelings of frustration, anger, and helplessness. Many want to know what steps they can take to improve the phandom. I've sketched out some ideas below; feel free to suggest more. It's my hope that by having a centralized resource we can find it easier to do better. We all have our own lives outside of phandom, but perhaps through the power of several busy people, we can get something good accomplished.

I'm a busy person! What can I do?

Commit to engaging in mindful phandoming (and really, fandoming in general).

Take some time to do a 'spring cleaning' review of your Tumblr posts, and if you're a creator, your fanart/fanfic. This is a bigger task for some compared to others, but understand that there is no set time limit and any little bit you chip away at is helpful.

Once it's written, review and circulate the statement released by the statement task force (see #2 below).

Have discussions with other phans about diversity and inclusivity, both to ask questions and to answer them.

I want to do more! How can I help?

The below are all goals that require a task force of several people, I think. Let me know if you want to volunteer in a group to do any of the following:

Create (and moderate) a safe space to talk and ask questions about inclusivity in good faith. That can be this blog for now, but I can see it spreading to something like a Discord channel in the future.

Collaboratively write and release a statement regarding how to participate, engage with, and create inclusive fanworks, especially for a fandom where the source materials are problematic.

Help create a shared doc or wiki for POTO authors/artists on accurate historical materials and other helpful resources. There are many resources floating loosely around already; we need people to help compile and organize them together.

Determine how to effect change in the ALW musical, and then lead the charge in doing so. In particular, this would be to push for more Black actors in key roles, and to get rid of the horrifically offensive costumes in the Hannibal sequence. Would it be most effective to start a petition? Write strongly worded letter(s)? Do a media campaign? Chase down insider sources?

Organize a POTO POC actors and characters week on Tumblr.

These are some big, lofty goals, I know. And so much of it depends on all of you. However, I hope you'd agree that trying at least some of these tasks is better than spinning our wheels and waiting for change to come to us. :)

Finally: this is a safe space to ask questions, and to share resources with each other. If you engage in good faith, I promise to listen to what you have to say, and to respond in good faith as well.

 Silver

[strength-to-try]

Lucy St Louis will be the first Black actor to play Christine in the West End. She is the first in the 35(!) years since Phantom debuted at Her Majesty's Theatre.

I may be repeating messaging you've read elsewhere, especially in politics and other "more serious" spheres. But just in case—

Celebrating this news is OK! Celebrating is good. Celebrating victories and milestones is what helps us keep going. And, we can celebrate while continuing to advocate for change.

(For instance: there still hasn't been a Black actor playing Christine on Broadway! And, people of colour are generally underrepresented in major roles! Further: it doesn't and shouldn't stop at one actor, one role—change must be persistent, and diversity and inclusivity must be an ongoing effort. It doesn't just stop at a perfunctory single event.)

It's also possible to celebrate one historic event while being disappointed, angry, upset about another. I certainly am appalled by Mackintosh's slashing of the West End orchestra and his callous response when pressed about this decision. People can feel multiple things at the same time, and just because someone is not currently centering those other thoughts and feelings shouldn't be taken as a statement that they have forgotten or don't care. Let's come back, and work harder tomorrow.

But, again, it's OK to take a moment to celebrate Lucy St. Louis, and to look forward to her Christine. :)

Closing with her words on Instagram:

"To be a woman of colour leading a show of this magnitude, portraying a woman who is strong, beautiful, graceful and desired is an image that I wish my younger self could have seen more of on stage. It is a life changing moment that is so much bigger than me.

I have been blessed with an opportunity that I pray inspires hope, positivity, inspiration & inclusion for the current and future generations to come.

For me and my younger self, this is something that is so incredibly special and monumental on so many levels. A true pinch me moment. I feel so honoured and wholeheartedly grateful for the incredible journey that lies ahead.

This is a reminder to never ever stop believing, striving, fighting for your dreams to turn them into reality. Even if you don’t see a place for you, there is enough room for everyone."

[strength-to-try]

Hannibal Costumes in the Musical

I've received a couple of anonymous asks regarding the costuming in Hannibal, in response to one of the aims of this initiative being to determine how to make sure they're removed from the production.

The questions are:

a) Which costumes in Hannibal are problematic/offensive, and b) Are the costumes still being used?

Which costumes?

There are three costumes I would identify as problematic. The first, and most discussed one, is the costume usually worn by the one or two actors who bring in the elephant at the climax of the Hannibal rehearsal. For the purposes of this post, I'm going to identify the costume and role as the 'Elephant Handler', as the commonly used and credited name of the role has been used as a slur before. In the 25th anniversary at the RAH recording, the elephant is omitted but several actors in the costume still make an appearance near the end.

The Elephant Handler actors wear a brown or dark coloured baclava, and dark, sometimes skintight clothing sometimes matching the colour of the baclava on their arms. The rest of the costume sometimes involves 'fur skins' or animal print, and layered colourful scraps of cloth. They are somewhat hard to see, usually standing upstage (near the back), and one's eyes usually are drawn to the main cast, or, you know, the elephant being brought in. Recordings often do not focus on the back, and can be blurry as well, which may explain how the actors could be easily missed.

In short, the Elephant Handler costume is blackface, and a racist caricature. Why does it exist? People often speculate that it's used as a commentary and/or parody of racist productions that occurred in the 19th century. A more cynical assumption might also be that it was to portray such questionably 'accurate' productions of the time, without the intent to lampoon. Any commentary intended is not exactly obvious.

Hopefully, the description of the costume is on its face enough for the average person to conclude that it should be removed from the musical. It's essentially a variation of Poe's law at work (i.e. "without a clear indicator of [...] intent, it is impossible to create a parody of extreme views so obviously exaggerated that it cannot be mistaken by some [...] for a sincere expression of the views being parodied." It is perpetuating racist imagery, and for what reason?

The sight of the costumes may be enough to harm viewers/audience members on their own. It also likely has the distinct effect of making actors of colour feel unwelcome, which then creates a further vicious feedback loop of actors of colour not being cast. It certainly angers and shames me, and makes me hesitate to share the show with others.

The other two costumes, perhaps less overt, are commonly referred/credited as the Lion Man and the Wild Woman. The former is usually an actor in 'fur skins' or animal print who is often crouching/groveling and striking grimaces. The latter are actors wearing wigs of textured hair. There are usually several of each in the Hannibal rehearsal. Again, it's impossible to confirm intention, but I would hazard that it's to connote the 'barbaric' and 'exotic' nature of Carthage, common inaccurate tropes of the city and Phoenician civilization.

Are the costumes still being used?

Yes, the costumes are still used in all replica productions, including on Broadway and the West End. I haven't seen the production in person for a while, so this is based on combing through some recordings made within the last five years.

Copenhagen (2019)'s Elephant Handlers don't appear to be wearing balaclavas; the Brazil revival (also 2019) do. Notably, the Elephant Handler costume is not in the restaged production (nor is the elephant). The Lion Man and Wild Women still make appearances, however.

  Should all these costumes be changed/be removed?

I would say so. Definitely the Elephant Handler, I hope you'd agree. It would take very little to revise the other two as well. Certainly, there have already been many interesting non-replica alternatives used in lieu of each. Or, they could draw from historical accounts of Carthaginian dress as well. The sky's the limit here.

Is it blackface if they're wearing balaclavas and not painting their faces?

Yes. It continues to be derogatory and a racist caricature.

Do we have a hope of a chance in getting this changed even though Cameron Mackintosh doesn't seem to care about fan outcry?

Given that the issue is not "fans are dissatisfied" but "this is racist and offensive," yes. Specifically, I would wager that it would generate more public outrage and therefore spur change. It's somewhat surprising that the costumes and the musical at large hasn't been blasted publicly for this already.

And cynically, this doesn't cost Mackintosh much of anything, so I can see it just making financial sense to him as well.

Regardless of success, that an initiative to bring about positive change might not work doesn't mean that it's not worth it to try. That, too, I hope you'd agree.

  Links

I'm not an academic and the degree and depth of research many phans conduct are seriously quite impressive and beyond my skills. These links are definitely not that; they were articles I found interesting and/or feel like may be helpful as a springboard. Vox, writer Jenée Desmond-Harris on the offensive nature of blackface NPR, a short podcast clip featuring Gene Demby, with transcription, about blackface and intent

World History Encyclopedia article on Phoenicia (ancient Carthage was a city/settlement of) World History Encyclopedia article on Hannibal’s struggles during the Second Punic War (which the POTO play within a play is about)

Phoenicia.org article on Phoenician Dress (and the most 90s design for a website that I've seen in a while)

[strength-to-try]

A quick note to mention, please do not feel the need to "defend" me to anyone. And if you attack a Black individual expressing their concerns, even if you dislike the way they are expressing it, I will be disappointed in you, and you'll have missed the point of this endeavor in the first place.

I'm happy to have a conversation with anyone directly, and whether that conversation happens or not, intend to take earnest criticism directed at myself or the tasks previously outlined to heart. To those who are able, I encourage you to try to do the same. I'm aware of at least some of the issues and possible pitfalls at hand, and thank anyone who can raise other issues I may not notice to my attention.

I should also mention that I don't intend to block anyone, and that the concept of blocking to deprive someone of one's message is unusual to me.* I suppose it makes sense for artists/writers and a platform like Tumblr, but especially for a project aiming to foster change, the more people who see a message the better. It does not mean I endorse the beliefs of many who share or follow this page; on the contrary, it means I'm out to change them.

And perhaps it bears saying, but one's participation here, from the fav or share to larger contributions doesn't mean one isn't racist; I can't absolve you or clear you as a good person. I'd like to learn and share and do what I can to create a better environment in the phandom. If you'd like to as well, then please join in. *edit: I was notified anonymously about an error in my reasoning; though I don't mind getting attacked and don't intend to block for that reason, this may cause bad actors to harass and harm others in the notes. And—fair point. I'm sorry I did not consider that probably pretty obvious issue to those who do more than lurk most of the time. I'm keeping a pretty vigilant (between work) eye on the notes, but known bad faith individuals will be blocked. If you have a question or concern as to who I've blocked versus who I have not, feel free to contact me about it; understand, though, that if you do so anonymously it's rather difficult to respond and I may not be replying to each in public.

[strength-to-try]

I've been asked a few times why I've started this page, and wanted to take the time to answer it.

I've lurked in the phandom community for a while, and that's usually where I'm happiest, just reading posts and comments and photos and fic and art, passively consuming and not contributing.

In the last few weeks, there've been pronounced expressions of hurt, anger, and upset in the POTO community. And there were valid issues raised. Reading them and the myriad responses, I had the sense that many people had a general desire to help improve the general phandom at large and to play a part in fostering inclusivity, but weren't sure how. And that many people were afraid to ask questions or discuss the matter, which isn't conductive to change.

For those who are willing and able, there's no time like the present to do something good. And rather than continue passively consuming, I suppose that's what caused me to brainstorm some actions we can all engage in rather than helplessly spinning our wheels in the air.

I'm going to make missteps, and for that I apologize in advance. Again, you can bring up to me any questions and concerns, and I promise to listen.

In more positive news, we're starting to make some headway into some of the "group tasks", namely the historical research component, and outlining what we might want to set up for appreciation event(s). If you want to participate in any of these task forces, send me a message! :)