National Theatre of Parramatta, The Family Law, more diverse stories, gender swap Shakespeare

Coincidentally, the source for all of the Australian news in this post is from Fairfax #notsponsored.

The National Theatre of Parramatta's 2016 season begins in April with Swallow by Stef Smith. The NToP is a new company based at Riverside Theatres in western Sydney. It seeks to produce work that reflects diversity in Australian society. At the company's launch in November 2015, co-artistic director Annette Shun Wah explained, "What we usually see on Sydney stages does not reflect the nation as it is in terms of its cultural diversity, its socio-economic diversity, or in terms of age, gender or sexuality. We want to change that."
NToP has received support from public and private sources: Arts NSW, Parramatta City Council, Crown Resorts Foundation and the Packer Foundation (via the Sydney Morning Herald)

In February, Benjamin Law wrote about how Australians with an Asian background are rarely seen on TV (his Good Weekend column in the Sydney Morning Herald). He recently adapted his memoir The Family Law for television. Its TV debut had half a million viewers, which makes it one of SBS' highest rating original scripted programs. In addition, the series' first episode received over 1.1 million views when it premiered on Facebook (Media Day).

Actor Miranda Tapsell discussed diversity and identity in a recent Sunday Life interview. Excerpts:

"I'm often asked, 'Where are you from?' As if I'm meant to be from somewhere else, that my dark skin represents some other identity. I'm very proud to be from this country, but I wish more people could take a leaf out of my parents' book because they always saw a more inclusive Australia, where I don't have to explain my identity to anyone because it was embraced from the beginning."
...
"I know there's a hunger for those stories, for more diverse stories. I just feel that more women of colour should be sharing the stage and screen with me." [Tapsell has an Aboriginal background]

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David Harewood has suggested that audiences "want to see more diverse stories. It’s not about putting three black people in the back of the shot. It’s about making it normal to see a black actor in a leading role. It still amazes me that Idris Elba is the only black actor in a lead role on British TV." (Radio Times via @actforchangehq)

Scott Ellis and Pippa Nixon have explained how gender can be flexible in Shakespeare productions. Ellis, a director, founded Merely Theatre (The Stage via @actforchangehq). Merely Theatre is currently touring A Midsummer Night's Dream and Henry V in rep. Nixon is playing Ariel in The Tempest at The Globe until 22 April (The Stage via @The_Globe).

Diversity: Idris Elba, BAME Shakespeare, Act for Change, #oscarssowhite

"I read a script, it says, 'Black man, tall. And then it says, leading man.' I'm like, what? What colour's he? Blue?"

A quote from a New York Times video interview with Idris Elba. This is the accompanying screencap:

Idris spoke to Parliament about diversity in the media, ahead of the Channel 4 diversity conference. The transcript is here and the video is here. His recommendations for improving diversity are:

1. Incorporating diversity at the beginning of the creative process
2. Measuring how well broadcasters do diversity
3. Take more risk with diverse talent

The Independent has an interview with Femi Oguns, who suggests that quotas are a starting point for achieving proportional representation of diversity in the performing arts (via @IGottaBeMeMovie):

"Fourteen per cent of the population is BAME but only five per cent of talent on screen is. The BBC is just ticking boxes. It has an ‘aspiration’ for 15 per cent of BAME screen talent by 2017 – why not just make it happen? Why are black directors in theatre only qualified to direct ‘culturally specific’ works? Theatre is still dominated by white middle-class decision-makers who are qualified not only to tell their life stories but over-qualified to tell yours also."

Oguns is the founder of the Identity School of Acting and the Identity Agency Group.

Samuel West's speech for the UK Disability History Month Conference (November 2015) is available on Youtube. He has suggested, "We look to every producer to be more imaginative. Nobody really knows what the public wants, so don't try to gainsay it. Make the best thing you can and make it as open and diverse as possible." (via @zakfordwilliams).

Act for Change has become a registered charity (their Twitter, @actforchangehq). Donations will fund:

Events, w/shops, training, our own HQ, sponsoring new talent, monitoring, employing a paid intern, to name but a few https://t.co/C8i9ATlAvq

— ACT FOR CHANGE (@actforchangehq) January 8, 2016

The University of Warwick has launched an online database that documents BAME participation and representation in Shakespeare productions (@BBAShakespeare via a retweet from Act for Change). Although productions have become more multicultural, BAME performers are more likely to be cast in supporting roles such as a witch in Macbeth; Laertes, Ophelia, Horatio, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz in Hamlet; or Hero and Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing.

Excerpt from a New York Times discussion about #oscarssowhite:

A.O. Scott: Spike Lee will get his lifetime achievement award. Chris Rock will be the host. Many of the presenters will be minorities. Integrally close to none of the winners will be. There will be awkward remarks and uncomfortable smiles. The intensity of the discomfort might be a hopeful sign.

In relation to Idris Elba's recent speech about diversity and #oscarssowhite, an article in the Sydney Morning Herald ("White wash" in the print edition, "Oz so white?" in the online edition) suggests that Australian performing arts is not representative of the community. The federal government and broadcasters have supported Indigenous and gender equity programs, however more needs to be done to represent cultural diversity.
Producer Darren Dale: "When you walk down the street, our community is so diverse, and I don't think you can see that on Australian drama at all... there's a healthy expectation that you should see yourself [represented] on screen."
Bali Padda (co-chair, MEAA diversity committee): "If we don't have a diverse range of people creating stories – writers, producers and directors – then the characters written for the Indian or Middle Eastern or whatever becomes a bit tokenistic. And that's not representative either... My personal measure of success is that we won't need to have these kinds of conversations again [emphasis added]."

Ruth Wilson. Television - Luther. Moet event. Film - Made in Dagenham. Television - Shakespeare history plays. Television - Any Human Heart. BBC Radio.

• Luther
• Ruth Wilson interview from Variety [link]
• Idris Elba and Ruth interview from Collider [link]
• Ruth attended the Moët et Chandon champagne harvest and "Tribute To Heritage" gala in Epernay, France 1|2
  
  
• Made in Dagenham interviews
• Rosamund Pike 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8
• Sally Hawkins 1|2|3|4|5
• Andrea Riseborough interview from the Observer [link]
  
  
• The Shakespeare history plays Richard II, Henry IV part 1, Henry IV part 2, and Henry V will be adapted for BBC2. Simon Russell Beale is the associate producer, and directors include Rupert Goold and Richard Eyre. (via the Guardian) [link]
  
  
• Any Human Heart, starring Tom Hollander, Samuel West, Julian Rhind-Tutt, and Hayley Atwell, will begin in November [link]
  
  
• BBC Radio
• Jeff Harding and Toby Jones star in the Saturday Play The Kane Conspiracy [link]
• Toby Jones and Joseph Kloska star in The Wire First Domino [link]

Ruth Wilson - Television - Luther. Romola Garai. Audio drama.

• Ruth plays Alice Morgan in Luther, a six-part series starring Idris Elba [link]
• Romola will be interviewed on Woman's Hour this Thursday [link]
• Audio drama:
• Urban Scrawl "Hounslow East" by Laura Wade stars Katherine Parkinson [link]
• Alex Jennings, Lizzy Watts and Patrick Kennedy star in the Woman's Hour Drama Our Mutual Friend [link]
• Patti Love, John Hannah and David Morrissey star in Mary Barnes [link]
  
• Sam Dale and Lydia Leonard star in the Afternoon Play The Railway Siding [link]
• Toby Stephens stars in Birdsong [link]
  
• Bill Paterson, Stephen Mangan and Damian Lewis star in the Afternoon Play Number 10 [link]