U.K. Theatre Criticized for "Patronizing" Content Warning for 'The Sound of Music'

by Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog Founder

A theatre in the U.K. is being mocked over its listing a content warning for its upcoming production of ‘The Sound of Music’. Chichester Festival Theatre included information about the themes of the show as “Music; family; romance; the threat of Nazi Germany and the annexation of Austria.”

The production will run from July 10 to September 3, with the West End actress Gina Beck starring in the role of Maria. The theatre is warning ticket buyers that some of them may find Nazis "distressing".

Rabbi Jonathan Romain, who leads Maidenhead Synagogue in Berkshire, described such warnings as "incredibly patronizing" and said they did a "disservice" to the audience.

He added: "They are almost warning them off from learning about things that may be unpleasant but are certainly real and make up the world. They also seem to be incredibly patronizing and sort of dismissing the resilience that people have. There are many terrible tragedies, but human endurance and resilience is actually quite remarkable.”

For those who don’t know, “The Sound of Music” follows the story of Maria, a novice Austrian nun, who is sent in 1938 to be a governess for the seven children of retired naval officer George von Trapp. Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, von Trapp is given notice of conscription into the German navy, but instead takes his family across the border into Switzerland, fleeing the Nazis in Austria.

A spokesperson for the theatre said: “We include general guidance on content and themes (not trigger warnings) on our website for all our productions, for audiences and, in the case of The Sound of Music, particularly for parents to make informed decisions about age suitability.

“It's for audiences to choose whether to open and read these or not, but we know from feedback that many people do find them helpful.

“Of course, theatre can and should be challenging; but, for a family musical, we're giving honest and factual guidance, for those who require it, that the show contains serious themes as well as Rodgers and Hammerstein's glorious songs and uplifting story.”

The content warning on Chichester Festival Theatre’s website

This is hardly the first time Nazi imagery in the musical has caused controversy. In the US, we’ve seen multiple school productions issue the same content warnings or go as far as removing the Nazi imagery altogether.

These are sensitive times and with the increased visibility of hate speech and Nazi imagery on the news, I can understand why a theatre would list this on its website for families(who may not know the story) to ve aware of before coming to see the show.

I also want to stress that anyone who would mock content or “trigger” warnings, has a fundamental misunderstanding of what they are and their importance. They are not “spoilers” or a new innovation to weaken audience engagement. Content warnings are important because they serve as a form of content warning or heads-up about potentially distressing or sensitive material. They are typically used to alert individuals who have experienced trauma, have certain mental health conditions, or have specific sensitivities to content that might trigger emotional, psychological, or physical reactions.

Just like any accessible accommodations, if you don’t need it or it doesn’t apply to you, then it won’t impact you one way or another. But if it does, it could be incredibly helpful to decide whether or not to see a show that might be traumatic for you. Simple as that.

And if someone who has never seen ‘The Sound of Music’ or knows nothing about the show is traumatized by Nazi imagery, they deserve to know that it’s in the show.

Content warnings can contribute to creating a more inclusive and respectful environment. They recognize that individuals have diverse experiences and backgrounds, and what might be innocuous to some can be deeply distressing to others. Providing these warnings demonstrates empathy and helps foster a safer space for everyone to engage in discussions or consume content.