A theatrical production of the pantomime "Mother Goose" at The Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, a town in England, has pulled out a song after receiving backlash for its lyrics that "mocked" vegans, calling them "gassy, anemic, and annoying."
According to a report by Gloucestershire Live, the showrunners at the theatre promised to remove the song soon after they had received letters and complaints on social media about the song being "anti-vegan."
The Everyman Theatre Accused of Perpetuating 'Bullying'
In a statement to the publication, a father had shared that her vegan daughter experienced other kids singing the now-removed pantomime song to her after seeing the performance during a school trip.
According to the father, her daughter asked him: "Why did the actors think it's okay to be horrible to kids like me, who just want to be kind to animals and not eat them?"
The father also added that he found the song's attempt at humor as "cheap, saying that it was "quite unnecessary" to have a musical number wholly "dedicated" to the "malicious taunting" of vegans regardless of the entertainment it had given a specific section of the audience.
Tolmeia Gregory, a vegan and climate activist, chimed in on the issue by telling the BBC that it is crucial for entities that have a "platform" to be understanding and "respectful of everyone's views." She also added that the theater's move to pull out the song was a "great thing."
The Everyman Theater itself has also released its own statement, saying: "The creative team behind this year's production continuously evaluates all aspects of the performance in order to create the best, most entertaining experience for the audience possible."
Despite the controversy, the pantomime production still boasts five-star reviews and a top-10 placement within this season's lineup of shows. The "Mother Goose" play is this year's Everyman Theatre pantomime starring an experienced cast of panto actors with projected performances until Jan. 7 of next year.
