Blasphemy on the British stage

November 30th, 2007 • theatre

This week’s installment of the attempt to sue the producers of Jerry Springer: The Musical for blasphemy neatly illustrates the impact of British law on the stage since the closure of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office, and the introduction of the Theatres Act (1968).

In dismissing permission to issue summons in the original case - now under appeal at the High Court - District Judge Miss Caroline Tubbs argued prosecution was prevented because of s2(4) of the Theatres Act 1968:

 ”No person shall be proceeded against in respect of a performance of a play, or anything said or done in the course of such a performance - (a) for an offence at common law where it is of the essence of the offence that the performance or, as the case may be, what was said or done was obscene, indecent, offensive, disgusting or injurious to morality.”

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