'It's a joke' : Heartless Monsters Mock Content Warnings at 'Romeo & Juliet'

London's famous Globe Theatre is warning audience members about 'upsetting' themes in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and, not surprisingly, close-minded politicians and heartless performers in the community have chosen to mock the theatre for this move rather than support it.

For its production of Romeo & Juliet, which is currently running until October, director Ola Ince chose to set the piece in contemporary times. The production uses a slew of modern tools to retell Shakespeare’s classic tragedy including BMX bikes, Arctic Monkeys songs, and plenty of drug abuse and gun violence.

The show’s set also features a large screen that projects facts and information about mental health in young adults. Needless to say, this isn’t your great-grandfather’s Romeo & Juliet.

But wisely, given the update to a modern setting, with its vices and tools of violence, combined with its themes of suicide, officials at the Globe Theatre opted to include content warnings on advertisements and within the program.

The content warning read,

'This production contains depictions of suicide, moments of violence, and references to drug use. It contains gunshot sound effects and the use of stage blood.

'If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this production of Romeo and Juliet please find details below of organisations offering advice and support.'

The content warning then went on to list a number of organizations that help with these issues as well as their contact information.

In a statement, officials at the Globe told local news:

“Ola Ince's critically acclaimed production brings the play into today's world, with an 'anti- romantic' Romeo and Juliet. Our production does not shy away from how relevant this story is for our current societal struggles.

As we've chosen to focus on mental health, and utilise direct techniques that may be affecting to some audience members, we wanted to provide information to those who may need it.”

While the theatre hasn’t seen a deluge of backlash from the ticket-buying public for the content warning, that hasn’t stopped a band of politicians from weighing in on the matter. Which no one asked them to do, by the way.

Tory MP Pauline Latham telling the Sun: 'This is absolutely ridiculous. How have we come to this after so many years of Shakespeare?'

Former minister Ann Widdecombe said: 'You don't go to see Romeo and Juliet if you want a light-hearted evening.'

The move has also caused a rife from folks within the performing community.

Actor Christopher Biggins said, “Do we have to have signs for everything under the sun. It's a joke. What they are trying to do is insulting to the mentality of theatre-goers…It’s wokeness gone mad.”

So, here’s my take – I disagree with Biggins’ moronic comment that the theatre is insulting the mentality of theatre-goers. In fact, I say that the theatre is considering the mentality of theatre-goers and is aiming to help them beyond just performing a play. And I hope this becomes standard for every show going forward, both in the United Kingdom and the United States.

I’ve heard all the arguments against content warnings. But none of them make sense, show an understanding of why they are needed or sway my stance that they are needed - not only for people suffering from real trauma but also as a guide for families who might want to take their children to the theatre.

Much of what is listed in content warnings is the same that is listed in movie ratings given by the MPAA. If we don’t have a problem with that, then why do we have it with theatre, which doesn’t have a governing body that gives ratings?

It’s also terribly heartless and discriminatory to mock the service that content warnings provide. While people like Biggins or Lantham may not have suffered any serious trauma in their lives that they would need content warnings(and I honestly hope they didn’t), who are they to mock those who might?

This is also far from the first time content warnings have been listed in programs or advertisements. It’s not even the first time this has been done with Romeo & Juliet.

In 2019, Boston’s famed Huntington Theatre also staged a modern retelling of the play. Given the show’s replacement for swords with guns, the theatre chose to include a content warning in the programs and website site. The image is listed below.

I also think that especially given the modern update, these content warnings are even more needed. A person scarred by gun violence may not react to traditional stage swordplay but certainly will if a gun is fired on stage. The same could be said for someone recovering from drug addiction or suicidal thoughts. When these instances are presented in a modern setting, they have a much different impact than watching them happen with actors in 16th-century European attire.

Content warnings are incredibly useful to those who may need them and can easily be ignored by those who don’t. It’s sad and a shame that there are some who think otherwise.

U.K. Broadcaster, Nick Ferrari, remarked when hearing of this story,

“Les Miserables, the bloodshed that you see there - I don’t want to spoil it, but I think I can say it - a child being shot obviously on stage during the show, heartbreaking!” he remarked. 

“Phantom of the Opera, very moving, Matlida, where does it end? “

I hope it doesn’t, Nick. I hope every theatre does this going forward.