The Londoner: Hampstead faces race casting row

Hampstead Theatre is under fire for casting an American-East Asian actor over a British-East Asian actor in a forthcoming play.

Campaign group British East Asians in Theatre and Screen (BEATS) said it was “extremely disappointed” that British East Asian talent missed out on parts for Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig’s The King Of Hell’s Palace, which starts its run next month, arguing in a letter that “the role in question is for a female in their 30s and we believe there is an abundance of British-based East Asian actresses who could play it.”

However, Hampstead Theatre has defended casting American actress Celeste den in the lead role “because of her intimate relationship to the play”. den knows Ya-Chu Cowhig, and has met the real-life whistleblower, Yin-Yin, on whom her part in the play is based. Hampstead Theatre told The Stage that it has met BEATS and is “building on our ongoing engagement with the abundant East Asian talent that exists in the UK”.

However, speaking to The Londoner, British East Asian actress Lucy Sheen, who has starred in Prime Suspect and Call The Midwife, said: “It’s a point of principle. There are scant few opportunities for British East Asian actors and when they do come up, and when that is funded with money from Arts Council England and the taxpayer, [the decision becomes] morally reprehensible. "It’s not about denigrating our American cousins because I love Frances ... but there is a racial hierarchy and British East Asians are the bottom of the pile. We are never part of society — we are there because we are outsiders. When was the last time you saw a British East Asian male having a kiss?”

The row casts a shadow over Roxana Silbert’s tenure as Hampstead’s new creative director. However, Hampstead Theatre observes that “Frances is an American national but a truly international playwright, much of whose work has been premiered in the UK”.

Jacob's impressed by the full service

Jacob Rees-Mogg is astonished to learn he has “immediately gone native” as a government minister, so impressed is he by the civil service. “My new private secretary had a full briefing ready for me at 11.30 at night,” he writes in The Spectator, “and was on parade at seven the next morning with a full team ... for my first appearance as Leader of the House”. The North East Somerset MP says: “I had previously thought only corporate bankers worked such hours.” Yes Jacob, it's called public service and those who work in it, work hard.

--

Marie Kondo, queen of tidying, has admitted her standards have slipped since finding a partner. She told Better Homes and Gardens: “My situation has changed since I was single. I’ve let go of needing to maintain a perfect home all the time.” That sparked joy for The Londoner. There’s more to life than the fancy folding of T-shirts.

--

Nigella Lawson went to bed at 7pm last night, admitting: “I know it’s ridiculously early to be in bed.” So what was her excuse? “Clean sheet night!” The chef added that “going to bed ridiculously early on clean sheet night is one of life’s greatest luxuries”. As a professional party-goer, The Londoner can only feel quiet envy.

Meera's comic timing is so disarming

Comic Meera Syal says that growing up, “humour seemed to be the best defence mechanism”. “A lot of people doing comedy will tell you that if you’re making someone laugh, they’re too busy to hit you,” she tells Elizabeth Day’s podcast. “It’s the best way of defusing tension, of gaining acceptance.”

Not to mention “only smart people make jokes. A sense of humour tells people you’re quick, you’re intelligent. It’s a really brilliant sword".

She adds: “I always saw the funny side of things that were supposed to be dramatic.”

SW1A

Chris Williamson will face “direct action” at the Labour Party conference, as soft-Left activists campaign to push him out for good. The Derby North MP is suspended following remarks about anti-Semitism. They encourage those who are “committed to making your voice heard loud and clear over Chris Williamson’s” and plan to send mass emails “to venues and organisations he’s working with”.

--

Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow, has a furious retort to critics who say she isn’t an appropriate representative of the area. “I have lived here for almost 22 years, been a local councillor as well as an MP and fought for Labour governments the whole time”. Zing.

--

Jeremy Corbyn looked thrilled to attend a football match in Romania yesterday between CFR Cluj and Celtic. Corbyn shared a joyful picture of himself with two Celtic fans on Instagram — his wife, Laura Alvarez, looked more stony-faced. Is she perhaps a Rangers fan?

The whole crew's in for a night with So Solid's Harvey

Last night, an audience gathered to reflect on the life of MC Harvey in his interview with broadcaster Jasmine Dotiwala at the Millbank Towers Media Centre in Westminster.

Harvey was the “tough” one from So Solid Crew which had a run of number ones 18 years ago — most famously 21 Seconds.

Guests included MOBO Awards founder Kanya King, Harvey’s mum, fellow Crew member Megaman and prime-time TV stars Alexandra Cane and Kojo Amin. Details of Harvey’s early life were shared, including the detail that, as a child, he was terrified of Kermit the Frog.

Further afield, Alexa Chung presented a lesson in “holiday dressing”, Dua Lipa indulged in a glass of wine, and Chuka Umunna enjoyed a sunlit evening in Cornwall.

Quote of the Day

'Seriously. Go to the library. It's a delight'

Model and Presenter Chrissy Teigen rediscovers the joy of reading - The Londoner approves