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Writer whose radicalisation play was cancelled to get it staged elsewhere Writer whose radicalisation play was cancelled to get it staged elsewhere
(34 minutes later)
The playwright behind Homegrown, the controversial play exploring radicalisation and jihadi brides that was shut down less than a fortnight before its opening, has confirmed he is in talks to get it staged elsewhere.The playwright behind Homegrown, the controversial play exploring radicalisation and jihadi brides that was shut down less than a fortnight before its opening, has confirmed he is in talks to get it staged elsewhere.
The cancellation of the National Youth Theatre (NYT) production caused national outcry after it was cancelled with no notice, with the team behind it believing it was a result of external pressures put on the show due to its sensitive content.The cancellation of the National Youth Theatre (NYT) production caused national outcry after it was cancelled with no notice, with the team behind it believing it was a result of external pressures put on the show due to its sensitive content.
But Omar El-Khairy, who was commissioned by NYT to write the piece, said he has been approached by numerous figures and organisations offering to put the play back on and discussions are currently underway. But Omar El-Khairy, who was commissioned by the NYT to write the piece, said he has been approached by numerous figures and organisations offering to put the play back on and discussions are currently underway.
Homegrown was due to be staged at a school in Swiss Cottage with a 112-strong cast of 15-25-year-olds. However, two weeks before its debut, NYT informed both the director and writer that the production could no longer go ahead. Homegrown was due to be staged at a school in Swiss Cottage with a 112-strong cast of 15-25-year-olds. However, two weeks before its debut, the NYT informed both the director and writer that the production could no longer go ahead.
In a statement, the NYT said it Homegrown was shut down because of concerns about its quality – a suggestion disputed by both the creators and the cast, leading to allegations that they were “silenced and censored”.In a statement, the NYT said it Homegrown was shut down because of concerns about its quality – a suggestion disputed by both the creators and the cast, leading to allegations that they were “silenced and censored”.
The matter also prompted an open letter from English PEN, which was signed by some of the most highly regarded figures in the arts from playwright Sir David Hare to artist Anish Kapoor and actor Simon Callow, demanding a full explanation. Liberty and the Index on Censorship have also called for the NYT to be entirely open about the reasons for cancelling the show.The matter also prompted an open letter from English PEN, which was signed by some of the most highly regarded figures in the arts from playwright Sir David Hare to artist Anish Kapoor and actor Simon Callow, demanding a full explanation. Liberty and the Index on Censorship have also called for the NYT to be entirely open about the reasons for cancelling the show.
The production had already been forced to relocate from a school in Bethnal Green following an intervention from Tower Hamlets council, and El-Khairy and director Nadia Latif alleged they had also been asked to hand a copy of the script over to the police to vet.The production had already been forced to relocate from a school in Bethnal Green following an intervention from Tower Hamlets council, and El-Khairy and director Nadia Latif alleged they had also been asked to hand a copy of the script over to the police to vet.
El-Khairy said that since the matter had gone public, he had been contacted by several figures in the theatre industry who felt it was important Homegrown was still seen by the public.El-Khairy said that since the matter had gone public, he had been contacted by several figures in the theatre industry who felt it was important Homegrown was still seen by the public.
He said: “Particularly after that PEN letter, we had offers, both concrete and symbolic, to help us put the play back on, so I’m optimistic it can still happen. We are still hoping to do it in some form, and show what we’ve been making to people.”He said: “Particularly after that PEN letter, we had offers, both concrete and symbolic, to help us put the play back on, so I’m optimistic it can still happen. We are still hoping to do it in some form, and show what we’ve been making to people.”
While no other schools had made specific offers to stage the immersive piece, El-Khairy said many other venues had proved willing to open their doors to the production. “At the moment there’s some universities, like my alma mater [LSE], and some others that are offering up their space,” he said.While no other schools had made specific offers to stage the immersive piece, El-Khairy said many other venues had proved willing to open their doors to the production. “At the moment there’s some universities, like my alma mater [LSE], and some others that are offering up their space,” he said.
“We’ve also had discussions with theatre companies who traditionally work in found spaces. They are all aware of the site-specific nature of the play so it’s about potentially recreating that. It’s still early, so we may still end up in a school; we just don’t know at this point.”“We’ve also had discussions with theatre companies who traditionally work in found spaces. They are all aware of the site-specific nature of the play so it’s about potentially recreating that. It’s still early, so we may still end up in a school; we just don’t know at this point.”
The reasons for the show’s cancellation still remain opaque, however. El-Khairy said a meeting with Paul Roseby, the director of the NYT, which was due to take place last week, has now been pushed back to an unspecified time at the end of September with no explanation. The NYT had no further statement.The reasons for the show’s cancellation still remain opaque, however. El-Khairy said a meeting with Paul Roseby, the director of the NYT, which was due to take place last week, has now been pushed back to an unspecified time at the end of September with no explanation. The NYT had no further statement.
“This is an issue that deals with bigger issues than just the cancellation of a single play, more nuanced questions around censorship,” says El-Khairy.“This is an issue that deals with bigger issues than just the cancellation of a single play, more nuanced questions around censorship,” says El-Khairy.
“We’ve waited patiently and willingly for answers, to give them the opportunity to speak publicly about their side of the story, but we still haven’t been given any. We don’t feel like we’ve been told the whole truth. All we wanted was for the piece to be able to speak for itself.”“We’ve waited patiently and willingly for answers, to give them the opportunity to speak publicly about their side of the story, but we still haven’t been given any. We don’t feel like we’ve been told the whole truth. All we wanted was for the piece to be able to speak for itself.”
El-Khairy currently has another play, Good Muslim, Bad Muslim, playing at the Edinburgh fringe festival this year, as part of a production called Walking the Tightrope, which grapples with the subject of freedom of expression in the arts and the troubling rhetoric around Islam in the UK.El-Khairy currently has another play, Good Muslim, Bad Muslim, playing at the Edinburgh fringe festival this year, as part of a production called Walking the Tightrope, which grapples with the subject of freedom of expression in the arts and the troubling rhetoric around Islam in the UK.
He said that while he was frustrated by the cancellation of Homegrown, it had also confirmed what he described a “fear in this country to engage with Islam slightly more intellectually and calmly, without any of the hysteria.”He said that while he was frustrated by the cancellation of Homegrown, it had also confirmed what he described a “fear in this country to engage with Islam slightly more intellectually and calmly, without any of the hysteria.”
“What happened with Homegrown was a shock but at the same time, it wasn’t a complete surprise in terms of the environment we are working in,” says El-Khairy. “I don’t think it was a watershed moment, instead it just shed light and opened up the conversation for people who presumed these issues around censorship and how we talk about Islam weren’t that current or that important.”“What happened with Homegrown was a shock but at the same time, it wasn’t a complete surprise in terms of the environment we are working in,” says El-Khairy. “I don’t think it was a watershed moment, instead it just shed light and opened up the conversation for people who presumed these issues around censorship and how we talk about Islam weren’t that current or that important.”
He warned against lumping all issues of alleged censorship in the arts – from the cancellation of Exhibit B at the Barbican to the boycott of the Israeli Film Festival – into one amorphous issue of liberal outrage, but said he welcomed the discussion around freedom of expression in the UK moving into the public realm.He warned against lumping all issues of alleged censorship in the arts – from the cancellation of Exhibit B at the Barbican to the boycott of the Israeli Film Festival – into one amorphous issue of liberal outrage, but said he welcomed the discussion around freedom of expression in the UK moving into the public realm.
“That distinction that continues to be made between the east being the place of repression and the west as this liberal haven I find really problematic, as if this is place where we can all work wonderfully or we give home to these other artists,” he added.“That distinction that continues to be made between the east being the place of repression and the west as this liberal haven I find really problematic, as if this is place where we can all work wonderfully or we give home to these other artists,” he added.
“I think there needs to be an attempt to bridge those conversations and be a little more honest about certain things.”“I think there needs to be an attempt to bridge those conversations and be a little more honest about certain things.”