Plymouth Theatre Royal wants school kids to see smut show

School children in Devon are being encouraged to see a show that contains hundreds of explicit swear words and extreme sexual references. In publicity material for the Theatre Royal in Plymouth, school parties are being offered discounted rates to see Jerry Springer The Opera.

The show caused a storm last year when the BBC decided to broadcast it. The DVD has been given an 18 certificate by the British Board of Film Classification because of its extreme content. The show’s own website says it is not suitable for children under 16. According to official accounts, the Theatre Royal received £3.5million of public money in 2005.

The controversial opera is also extremely blasphemous. It features God the Father, Jesus Christ, Mary, Adam and Eve and Satan as warring guests on a special edition of the Jerry Springer show – staged in Hell. It includes a portrayal of Jesus as a childish, foul-mouthed woman-beater with a sexual predilection for human excrement and who declares himself to be ‘a bit gay’. It also features an attempt by Eve to masturbate Jesus. Mary is said to have been ‘raped by God’.

Speaking today, Colin Hart (Director of The Christian Institute) said: “The Theatre Royal is being extremely irresponsible in offering discounted rates to school parties. This hate show is not suitable for adults, let alone school children. I am sure that schools in Devon are far too sensible to take up the offer. Not only is the show offensive for its extreme language and sexual references, it is spitefully prejudiced against the Christian faith. I am appalled that a publicly funded body should be so contemptuous of Christians. The Theatre Royal should respect the religious beliefs of its patrons. Genuine religious debate and criticism is one thing, but this show is an offensive, spiteful, systematic mockery and wilful denigration of Christian belief. It is inconceivable that the Theatre Royal would stage a hate show that abused the prophet Mohammed or Guru Nanak in the same way. Why is Christianity singled out for such gratuitous and spiteful abuse?”

Note for Editors :

The Christian Institute has no relationship to the organisation called ‘Christian Voice’. We seek to make our case through democratic means.