Re: Should we be protesting the Barbie movie?
Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2023 8:45 pm
The only recent (and ancient) appropriation that continues even now in plays, is the habit directors have had through the decades of casting WOMEN as Peter Pan.
I was an underdeveloped, consciously gay little nerdling of a 10 year old when Mom and Dad told us we were going to a play about Peter Pan (I think it was called Neverland Again or something), and at the big, professional stage, too, so it was gonna be a great show! We went to a lot of plays when I was a kid in the 70's.
The actress, of course, turned out to be a 24 year old lady. I was so mad; tears, anger, all barely held in. Fortunately, Mom and Dad thought I was just angry at the subterfuge of using a 'more capable' adult woman for the roll rather than a kid. I could absolutely not tell them I was already fully in love with the boy in the poster art, which was drawn, not a photo.
I've held a tiny piece of hatred for every production that uses a woman for that roll ever since!
(to address the original post, I never knew anyone with a barbie growing up; my sister didn't like dolls and I just couldn't get into 'action figures' at all. I did split a Gumby in half by pulling his legs apart, though; I did note he was as smooth as a Ken doll down there before I renered him in twain)
I was an underdeveloped, consciously gay little nerdling of a 10 year old when Mom and Dad told us we were going to a play about Peter Pan (I think it was called Neverland Again or something), and at the big, professional stage, too, so it was gonna be a great show! We went to a lot of plays when I was a kid in the 70's.
The actress, of course, turned out to be a 24 year old lady. I was so mad; tears, anger, all barely held in. Fortunately, Mom and Dad thought I was just angry at the subterfuge of using a 'more capable' adult woman for the roll rather than a kid. I could absolutely not tell them I was already fully in love with the boy in the poster art, which was drawn, not a photo.
I've held a tiny piece of hatred for every production that uses a woman for that roll ever since!
(to address the original post, I never knew anyone with a barbie growing up; my sister didn't like dolls and I just couldn't get into 'action figures' at all. I did split a Gumby in half by pulling his legs apart, though; I did note he was as smooth as a Ken doll down there before I renered him in twain)
I said if I had the money, not that I did.