[Candrama] Information on Banned or Censored Plays

[Ginny Ratsoy]

Dear Candrama Colleagues,

Many thanks to all of you who were so helpful to my former TRU colleague and his colleague at City Stage in New Westminster. 

What a lively and informative discussion!

Regards,
Ginny
________________________________________
From: Brian Morton [mortonbg1999 at gmail.com]
Sent: August 17, 2019 11:57 AM
To: Don Rubin
Cc: Ginny Ratsoy; candrama at artsservices.uwaterloo.ca; Chris Walmsley; Renee Bucciarelli
Subject: Re: [Candrama] Information on Banned or Censored Plays

There is a 1974 issue of Canadian Theatre Review, that discusses
"Theatre Censorship in Canada".. I still own a copy of that issue on
the bookshelf.

And yes, Jim Garrard and FUTZ, at Rochdale College in 1969, definitely
springs to
mind.  The CBC radio archives had some interviews about this online
for quite a while.  I found the link again here.
https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/futz-a-farmer-and-his-pig

As does Michael Hollingsworth's CLEAR LIGHT at Toronto Free Theatre,
and Ken Gass' WINTER OFFENSIVE at the Factory.

The cancellation of Brad Fraser's play POOR SUPER MAN, at the
Stephenwolf Theatre in Chicago, in the early 1990s.

More recent controversies would be Hillar Latoja and DNA Theatre's
play PAULA AND KARL, or a production that toured the CAFF Fringe
circuit about 18 years ago called THE HAPPY C_NT.

Not a theatre production, but Ivan Rietman's 1969 student film at
McMaster University, THE COLUMBUS OF SEX, which led to a prosecution for
film obscenity in Hamilton.   I have spent years trying to turn that
story into a stage play.

A pity that the original poster asked the information to be sent off
listserv, as I would have been interested in reading the responses.

Brian Morton

On 8/16/19, Don Rubin <drubin at yorku.ca> wrote:
> Futz in Toronto.  Lot of studies on the case. Also Passe Muraille’s We Love
> You Baby Blue.
>
> Don Rubin
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Aug 16, 2019, at 2:13 PM, Ginny Ratsoy
> <Gratsoy at tru.ca<mailto:Gratsoy at tru.ca>> wrote:
>
> Dear Colleagues:
>
> I am posting this request for information on behalf of the President and AD
> of City Stage in New Westminster, BC. If you can assist, please respond
> directly to either Christopher Walmsley
> (cwalmsley at tru.ca<mailto:cwalmsley at tru.ca>) or Renee Bucciarelli
> (renee at fraj.com<mailto:renee at fraj.com>). Many thanks.
>
>
> We are interested in hearing about Canadian plays that were banned or
> censored by authorities of various kinds--police, theatre boards, censors,
> municipal/provincial governments.
>
> In Vancouver, British Columbia we are aware that Tobacco Road (1953), the
> Beard (1970) and Captive of the Faceless Drummer (1970) all were
> controversial to the point of being shut down.
>
> Are there any more examples from British Columbia?
>
> Were there censored/banned plays in the rest of Canada during the 20th
> century?
>
> Thanks for taking the time to reply!
>
> Christopher Walmsley (President)  cwalmsley at tru.ca<mailto:cwalmsley at tru.ca>
> Renee Bucciarelli  ( Artistic Director)
> renee at fraj.com<mailto:renee at fraj.com>
>
> City Stage New Westminster
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>


--
Brian Morton
www.theatre-erebus.ca