NI Conservatives’ co-chair, Trevor Ringland, has accused the UUP and DUP of being “in disarray” over a play which has been banned from a Newtownabbey theatre. A production of ‘The Bible: The Complete Work of God (Abridged)’ was due to take place at The Theatre at the Mill this week, but was cancelled, after councillors raised objections.
“It has been an unedifying episode, which has captured attention in the national media, for all the wrong reasons”, Trevor explained. “I don’t think councillors should be determining what people in Northern Ireland can or can’t see on stage. No-one is forced to go to see a play and theatregoers are more than capable of deciding whether a production’s content is for them or not.”
“Both the DUP and UUP have sent out deeply confused messages about banning this play. The deputy mayor of Newtownabbey has publicly disagreed with DUP colleagues, who want it to be banned. Meanwhile the Ulster Unionist leader, Mike Nesbitt, made the extraordinary claim that his party’s mayor, Fraser Agnew, did not speak for the UUP when he opposed the play being shown.”
“Banning this production sends out a very bad message. It suggests that freedom of expression is not paramount in Northern Ireland. We have a flourishing arts sector, which is important both for the economy and its wider contribution to society. Yet, we also have a culture minister who, by her own admission, has not attended a play during 3 years in office and councillors who think it’s their duty to dictate what can or can’t be shown in a theatre.”
“I think it’s important that an alternative venue for this production is found and that the play is shown in Northern Ireland. Otherwise our image will be tarnished and the message will go out that this is a society where politicians can interfere in the operating decisions of venues for arts and culture.”