A recent revival of “Oliver!” has been brought under scrutiny because of the contentious representation of Fagin, Dickins’ Jewish street thief, “one of the most infamous antisemitic caricatures of all time, a devious hook-nosed villain rivaled in stereotypical notoriety by only Shakespeare’s Shylock.” Ben Quinn writes:
But for the first time since the conception of the musical, a loud debate has erupted about whether it remains acceptable to revive the Jewish shyster with a nasal whine, who sings of having to “pick a pocket or two.”
Critics have also raised eyebrows at publicity posters on London’s subway, in which the “L” from the show’s “Oliver!” logo has been refashioned into a long, protruding nose.
“You might as well chuck in a black character who goes round eating watermelon, stealing chickens and grinning his head off,” theater reviewer Sam Leith wrote in The Sunday Times.
Read the full article here.
[via Dallas News religion blog]