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Right wingers crowd freaks out about Black Juliet, X users point out character should be played in drag
In Elizabethan times, it was the norm for all characters to be played by men, including female ones.
In one SNL segment, Colin Jost – while taking a break from being pranked by Michael Che into doing a Scarlett Johansson joke – once pointed out that it must be very difficult for MAGA people to keep track of all the things who they need to hate.
While expounding upon the Super Bowl conspiracy theory that never was, Jost had pointed out that to be a true MAGA warrior, one had to hate: the National Football League, Taylor Swift, Bud Light, Disney, Kristen Stewart, electric stoves, windmills, the concept of rainbows, and green M&Ms.
That by the way is an ever-expanding list when conservatives on X found a new tragedy to weep over and this time the tragedy is Shakespearean or at least a casting in a Shakespearean play: the choice of Juliet.
Recently, the full cast of Romeo and Juliet was announced that will include Tom Holland as Romeo and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers as Juliet. The others in the cast are: Agyeman, Michael Balogun , Tomiwa Edun, Mia Jerome, Daniel Quinn-Toye, Ray Sesay , Nima Taleghani and Joshua-Alexander Williams.
For conservatives of a certain vintage, particularly on X, this was proof that this was the thin end of the wedge and the end of civilisation as we knew it.
One user claimed: “They are rewriting history in front of our very eyes.”
Another wrote: “I’m guessing Tom plays a trans woman named Juliet.”
Of course, while this isn’t the first non-white pairing of Romeo and Juliet, the MAGA argument has a bigger snag than the character choice of Juliet. Historically, women were banned from particpating in plays in Elizabethan England which would meant that Juliet by a man.
As one user pointed: “Yes if you want to be true to Shakespeare both Romeo and Juliet should be played by men.”
Another wrote: “Wait till conservatives find out who used to play Juliet in the times of Shakespeare.” A third chimed in: “It should be done the way it was done in Shakespeare’s time, Juliet should be played by a drag queen.”
A fourth exhibited faux mockery sand said: “Outrageous. Juliet should only be played by an Elizabethan boy in drag.”
