Janet Suzman Defends Statement That Theatre Is “A White Invention”

The South African-born actress – a longtime campaigner against racism who had a famous anti-apartheid activist for an aunt – drew some outrage on Monday by saying that theatre is a “European invention and white people go to it. It’s in their DNA.” She clarified her remarks with a call for more work from black and Asian playwrights – and then said “theatre is a pretty white way of spending an evening – and expensive.”