In this two-part series, The Protest and the Play, we look back at two very different plays that were cancelled before they hit the stage – Behzti in 2004 and Exhibit B in 2014 – and use their 10 and 20-year anniversarie
2024 marks the 10-year anniversary of the cancellation of Exhibit B at the Barbican Vaults.A live installation by the white South African artist Brett Bailey, Exhibit B was described by its creator as a critique of the “human zoos” that displayed Africans as objects of scientific curiosity during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It received five-star reviews when it opened at the Playfair Library in Edinburgh but also drew criticism for reproducing the racist objectification of those original ethnographic displays. The installation, which featured Black actors chained and in cages, moved to the Barbican in London, where it sparked a national campaign, including a 23,000-strong petition, marches, articles, letters, and critical analysis. On opening night, 200 protesters linked arms and blockaded the entrance to the theatre, prompting the Barbican to cancel all further performances.In this episode, playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah and Museum of Colour Director Samenua travel back to 2014 to talk to the people involved in the play and its cancellation, asking: Does art have the right to offend? Who can tell the story of colonisation? And do venues have an obligation to stand by their artists, no matter what?
2024 marks the 20-year anniversary of the cancellation of Behzti at the Birmingham Reparatory Theatre. Behzti (Dishonour) was a play by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, scheduled to be staged at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 2004. The play, which depicted a rape in a Sikh temple, was cancelled after violent protests caused thousands of pounds in damage and forced the playwright into hiding. In the months leading up to the protests, the theatre attempted to engage with members of the Sikh community who were angered by the play’s setting, but the two sides were ultimately unable to find a compromise. The incident provoked a debate on the balance between artistic freedom and religious sensibilities, the status of women within minority communities, and whether a theatre should prioritise artistic principles over the safety of its audiences and employees.In this episode, playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah and Museum of Colour Director Samenua travel back to 2004 to talk to the people involved in the play and its cancellation, asking: Does art have the right to offend? Is protest under threat? And do venues have an obligation to stand by their artists, no matter what?
