News: Jerry Springer creator Richard Thomas hits out at censorship in the arts

Jerry Springer creator Richard Thomas has hit out at censorship in the arts.

Jerry Springer the Opera creator Richard Thomas has become the latest industry figure to speak out about the importance of freedom of speech within the arts, claiming organisations funded by the taxpayer have a particular responsibility to take risks.

His comments come after the cancellation of the Barbicans Exhibit B following protests last month, and as campaigners in New York rally against a production of Metropolitan Operas The Death of Klinghoffer.

Thomas described it as worrisome when stuff like that happens and added that a tour of Jerry Springer the Opera in 2006 had suffered because of protesters, many of whom had not even seen the production. Those against it, led by an organisation known as Christian Voice, labelled the show blasphemous.

It killed it, killed the ticket sales, Thomas said, adding: The wave of negative publicity made it sound like a shit show. But it wasnt, it was hilarious.

The writer, who has penned the lyrics to the new musical Made in Dagenham, said that he was a proponent of freedom of speech in the arts and warned that the industry should be wary of anything that encroaches on that.

Although Christian Voice lost a court case it tried to bring against Jerry Springer the Opera for being blasphemous, Thomas said it had made arts organisations think again about what shows they put on, because of the costs involved in defending them from potential legal action.

You would think twice about investing in such a show, no matter how good it is, if it has a contentious subject matter, he said.

Thomas added: Institutions by nature are risk averse But I feel its incumbent on taxpayer-funded institutions to take a risk.

The writer said that there were different constraints in the commercial sector, and claimed it would be naive to expect the West End to suddenly decide to do a musical set in the Gaza strip.

Read the original here:
News: Jerry Springer creator Richard Thomas hits out at censorship in the arts