Shakespeare’s Globe has taken a proactive step by issuing an ableism warning for its recent rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This decision was made after the theater cast an actress with dwarfism to portray a character who faces insults due to her height.
The play, written during the late 16th century, unfolds in Athens and revolves around the adventures of four rebellious lovers who find themselves lost in a mystical forest. Among them are Hermia and Helena, two female characters who share a deep bond of friendship but differ greatly in physical attributes such as height, hair, and skin tone.
Sophia commented on the piece that was featured in the Daily Mail.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant Sophia Moreau said: ‘It’s about time theatres warned audiences of ableist content. Many historic plays reflect the attitudes of their time regarding disability, making a mockery of the presentation of disability and the tribulations faced by disabled people.
‘This isn’t unique to Shakespeare, but it was well established by Shakespeare’s time.
‘For example, in the Jacobean play “The Changeling” by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley, there is a subplot in a madhouse where at least part of the humour of the play is derived from the patients – referred to as “fools” and “madmen”.
‘This reflected a time where there were ticketed viewings of unwell people in asylums as a form of entertainment and tourist attraction, a practice which happened in real life at the Royal Bethlehem hospital.
‘An entire group of people, already facing structural disadvantage, have been used as a punching bag for entertainment for centuries.
‘To this day, we still haven’t confronted the stigma faced by disabled people and those suffering from mental illnesses.’