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Same-sex kiss cut from Singapore production of Les Miserables after complaints
Organiser Mediacorp VizPro says the kiss, between the villain and a wedding guest, "was intended to be comic", but that it took immediate action and worked with the producers to adapt the scene.
SINGAPORE: Complaints from the public have led to a same-sex kissing scene being removed from the musical Les Miserables, which is now on at the Esplanade. The scene involved a kiss on the lips between two male actors during the song Beggars at the Feast, a gesture which the musical's organiser Mediacorp VizPro said was "intended to be comic".
In a statement on Saturday (Jun 11), the Media Development Authority (MDA) said that it reviewed the performance upon receiving feedback from members of the public.
MDA added that the inclusion of the same-sex kiss was not highlighted in the script when it was submitted to the agency for classification. It thus gave the performance a “General” rating, meaning that the performance was suitable for a general audience and for all ages.
The agency said it advised Mediacorp VizPro that the inclusion of this particular scene “meant that the performance had exceeded the ‘General’ rating issued”. It added that Mediacorp VizPro removed the scene.
Moses Lye, who heads Mediacorp VizPro, said: "Beggars at the Feast is a comical scene during which the villain Thénardier makes fun of the wedding guests. He gives one of them, whom he describes as queer, a quick peck on the lips. The kiss was intended to be comic. On June 3, we took immediate action and worked with the producers to adapt the scene."
MDA added that under Singapore’s classification code, such a scene is permissible under an “Advisory” rating. It noted that Mediacorp VizPro decided to remove the scene “so as to keep the ‘General’ rating for the rest of its run”, which ends Jul 24.
The agency said that it would take action against the breach of licensing conditions.
Organiser Mediacorp VizPro says the kiss, between the villain and a wedding guest, "was intended to be comic", but that it took immediate action and worked with the producers to adapt the scene.
SINGAPORE: Complaints from the public have led to a same-sex kissing scene being removed from the musical Les Miserables, which is now on at the Esplanade. The scene involved a kiss on the lips between two male actors during the song Beggars at the Feast, a gesture which the musical's organiser Mediacorp VizPro said was "intended to be comic".
In a statement on Saturday (Jun 11), the Media Development Authority (MDA) said that it reviewed the performance upon receiving feedback from members of the public.
MDA added that the inclusion of the same-sex kiss was not highlighted in the script when it was submitted to the agency for classification. It thus gave the performance a “General” rating, meaning that the performance was suitable for a general audience and for all ages.
The agency said it advised Mediacorp VizPro that the inclusion of this particular scene “meant that the performance had exceeded the ‘General’ rating issued”. It added that Mediacorp VizPro removed the scene.
Moses Lye, who heads Mediacorp VizPro, said: "Beggars at the Feast is a comical scene during which the villain Thénardier makes fun of the wedding guests. He gives one of them, whom he describes as queer, a quick peck on the lips. The kiss was intended to be comic. On June 3, we took immediate action and worked with the producers to adapt the scene."
MDA added that under Singapore’s classification code, such a scene is permissible under an “Advisory” rating. It noted that Mediacorp VizPro decided to remove the scene “so as to keep the ‘General’ rating for the rest of its run”, which ends Jul 24.
The agency said that it would take action against the breach of licensing conditions.
