Ugly language from the Ugly Sisters

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Lyric Hammersmith defends controversial Christmas Play

The Lyric has been forced to defend its Christmas play which opens tomorrow (Friday 5 December) after preview audiences complained about bad language.

 

Cinderella, which will be directed by Melly Still, bills itself as suitable for children aged seven or over.

 

Melly Still directed the Lyric’s Watership Down Christmas play in 2006, and her version of a Coram Boy at the National, had to be re-advertised as only suitable for over 12s, after preview performances distressed younger children.

 

Audiences at preview performances of Cinderella complained to the Daily Mail newspaper after one of the characters called another a ‘fat bitch’.

 

There were also complaints about violent scenes.

 

However, the theatre said it had now removed the offending

swearwords.

A spokeswoman for the Lyric said: 'A scene in which the stepmother is called a "fat bitch" has been removed by the director.

'A lot of work has been done since the previews.'

Lotte Moore, of Hammersmith Terrace, is the granddaughter of humourist AP Herbert, who collaborated with the actor/manager of the Lyric in the 1920s, Sir Nigel Playfair.

She said: “The Lyric has changed, David Farr has gone off to the National now. It is so modern now, not like a traditional theatre.

"They did Watership Down last year and it was quite violent, though they did it in a very interesting way.

"It's terrible to think they had swearwords in a children’s play."

 

December 4, 2008