It's all an act

It won't surprise readers that I struggle with some of the concepts often brigaded under the banner of 'woke'. For example, I pondered aloud to Mrs H today that it didn't seem very inclusive that I can't be a lesbian. Unless, I went on to say, I first declare myself to be a trans woman, then - presumably - I could. Sort of.  Maybe I am getting the hang of it?

But I still can't get my mind round this next one. 

Without becoming a trans woman I could act the role of a lesbian. OK, I might need some drama lessons and a good dose of wardrobe and make up, but in principle I might achieve the credible appearance and some of the other attributes of a lesbian.

However, for many in the field of drama this is a no-no: they take the view that only gay people should be cast gay roles on TV and in film. I note in passing that this would appear to be a counter-productive stance for gay actors, condemning them to a minority of roles, since obviously and inter alia if only gays can play gays, logically they couldn't play straight roles.

I reflect on all this having read in last weekend's newspaper that Connor Curren, an autistic actor, has been cast in the role of Christopher Boone, who has characteristics similar to autism, in the National Theatre's production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time. It's great for him to have that opportunity and good luck to him. The piece went on to quote Russell T Davies, who cast gay actors in the lead roles in Channel 4's It's A Sin: "You wouldn't cast someone able-bodied in a wheelchair, you wouldn't black someone up. Authenticity is leading us to joyous places". I can buy that as well, though I'm waiting for a white person to play a black person without blacking up as it's been done the other way round quite often. But journalist Liam Kelly went on to say:

"Attitudes have changed rapidly in the past few years. While Eddie Redmayne won critical acclaim and awards for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything and a transgender woman in The Danish Girl released in 2014 and 2015 respectively, his casting in those roles might have produced a backlash were it to happen now".

And that's where I struggle. Redmayne brilliantly portrayed the cruel journey of Hawking's form of motor neurone disease from an able bodied man through to someone unable to speak let alone walk. But, reductio ad absurdum, how could someone who can't walk let alone speak portray the young Hawking?

In the limit if you are only allowed to act who you are, the only person you could portray would be yourself. And that's not acting.

Hopefully Connor Curren will in due course be considered for a full range of roles, not just people with autistic characteristics. But the converse also applies.

* Neurodiversity hands autistic actor his big break, Sunday Times 21 November