Ask Auntie Trash: Consent in Theatre

Article by Amy Taylor | 08 Nov 2016

Dearest Trash,

In the wake of Donald Trump's comments about women, I was wondering how important consent is to actors on the stage? As an aspiring actor, can I say no to something that I don’t want to do for a role?

Best,

A Concerned Citizen

Greetings, Concerned

Urghhhh, Trump. Fucking Trump. What he said he does to women was wrong. Anyone defending him is wrong, and I’m horrified that in 2016, people still need to the basics of consent explained to them. Enough of this.

Acting aside, no one has the right to touch you, or your junk, or your whatever, without your consent, preferably your enthusiastic consent. If someone puts their hand on you, where you do not want to be touched, then we have a problem and we need to address it right now, preferably with a full-force kick between their legs.

Consent is everything in theatre. Sure, venues, sets, lighting and all that are also very helpful, but consent and trust help build a comfortable, safe space for actors. It doesn’t matter if they’re a new actor or a more experienced one, consent has to be established before anything happens on the stage. Actors need somewhere that they can feel safe, because when they are on stage, they are vulnerable, especially in the case of shows involving sex scenes, fight scenes, torture scenes, nudity and just about everything else I can think of.

As audiences, we are used to seeing simulated acts of violence (and whatever else) on stage, and so we’ve been somewhat desensitised to it – but for the actor, it can be terrifying. For example, take a play like Equus, which is pretty famous for its nude scenes (I saw it on tour with Alfie Allen back in 2007. Or 2008. I dunno, I got a bit distracted at the time). In order for the actors to be able to get naked on stage there has to be a mutual trust, they have to be relaxed with each other, they’ve got to be in a place where getting their junk out in public is not a problem (It was not a problem for Alfie Allen, he did very well).

When the trust between actors is violated, the stage is no longer safe. Take, for example, the very recent scandal involving Profiles Theatre, a Chicago-based company with a reputation for creating “edgy” work. Earlier this year, allegations surfaced that the company’s artistic director Darrell W. Cox (who denies the allegations) had abused 30 of his actors by, amongst other things, injuring the actors by changing choreographed fight sequences without their knowledge, ignoring safe words during fight sequences, bullying actors and sexually assaulting the actors while they performed on stage, in front of an audience.

Cases like the allegations (and I have to keep calling them allegations, but for the record, I think Darrell W. Cox’s alleged actions allegedly show that he is an alleged piece of shit, allegedly) made by former Profiles Theatre actors really underline the point that acting is an incredibly vulnerable vocation. As an actor, you do have to be willing to do things that you might not normally do – but you are NOT obligated to do anything that you don’t feel comfortable doing. You don’t have to explain why. And if anyone, be they casting director, artistic director, fellow actor, or your partner tries to guilt you into something, or pressures you, get out. That is not normal behaviour. That is abusive behviour. You owe them fuck all. Don't even be nice, just get the fuck out. 

Actors are sexy, theatre is sexier, but consent? Consent is sexy as fuck.

Yours sexily,

Trashy x


Auntie Trash is always looking for anonymous questions for her monthly advice column. You can send in your questions/ pour out your heart at trash@theskinny.co.uk

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