I’m not taking a look at the link because I read about this on RabbitWise’s Facebook page. I left this post on the RSC Facebook Page.

“I am saddened beyond belief that people in this day and age would kill an innocent animal for entertainment. Rabbits are the sweetest creatures and they deserve better than this. As I’m sure your audience does as well.”

How is this not against animal-cruelty laws?

Is there a link to “protest” or sign a petition or something without viewing the disturbing images?

I opened the link in a new tab and there wasn’t a photo of a rabbit on that particular link, posted above. (Thank God.)
It directed me to a blog page listing contact info. to get in touch with Shakespeare Co. to protest. The only other link provided was a direct link to email S. & Co. at the bottom, which gets you to their selection of departments. I assume you would want to email General to register an emailed protest.

I am really stunned that the Royal Shakespeare co. is doing this. I mean, talk about a cheap shot at grabbing headlines.
So I think it’s safe to follow up, but do proceed with caution.

Well, it’s definitely legit because it was a small article in the Wall Street Journal and you can go to Rabbitwise and find the info on who to contact. Despicable!

I just sent an email to Royal Shakespeare Company to voice my complaint:

In regards to the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of As You Like It as part of the Lincoln Center Festival in New York, I am hugely disappointed to be informed that each evening’s performance will include the slaughter of a live rabbit. It astounds me that your company should opt to kill a living creature when the actors could just as easily use props. They are actors, after all, and this is their chosen profession – so let them hone their craft and have them act!

I feel strongly that this is an unnecessary tragedy, one that can be easily prevented. Please consider modifying the performances to exclude this senseless slaughter. Until then, I refuse to attend any productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company and will strongly urge all of my fellow theater-going friends and associates to do likewise. There are certainly plenty of other theater & entertainment options to choose from in New York City. Additionally, I will share my complaints with the administration at Lincoln Center, Park Avenue Armory and the University of Ohio in hopes that your company will not be invited to participate in future festivals unless there is a quick resolution to this very upsetting matter.

Lincoln Center has a ‘contact us’ tab on their website. You can send them an e-mail.

Here’s what I feel the issue is.

There’s a really good HBO series right now called “Game of Thrones” – the screen adaptation of the George RR Martin book series “Song of Fire and Ice”. In one episode, they introduce a powerful character, the head of the Lannister family – the main protagonists in the series. The story has the head of the family ‘dressing’ a stag (gutting and skinning it) while he berates his son. The symbolism is that the stag is the family crest of the ex-king that has died and now the Lannisters sit on the throne. It was about skinning the country as well as dressing it down while he dressed down his son.

Someone thought, “Hey it was such a powerful image in this show, we need to copy it for ours!” and I guess plucking a chicken wouldn’t work so the smallest animal that they could ‘properly’ get away with skinning was a rabbit. It is, IMO, a case of thinking you can adapt a powerful item from one show to impress those that see yours.

Next the actors will be wielding light sabers.

RabbitWise has updated about this matter:

rabbitwise.org/blog/alerts-news/roy…from-play/

“Michael Boyd, artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and director of As You Like It, released the following statement today:

The Royal Shakespeare Company has decided not to use rabbits for its performances of As You Like It in New York.”

LPT, thanks for providing the link, where you can read more about it in the Great Britain productions. Meanwhile, I think it’s important to post the quote of the statement here so everyone can know it directly. Thanks to everyone for their prompt protests to bring this about.

Mark, I agree with you. But as a cynic at times (me), I think they were more interested in the publicity it garners than in the powerful message it conveys. I wonder whether that scene provoked an outpouring of protest about the stag, and accompanying hike in ratings and sales for their advertisers.

Ah, the shock value It makes me so upset.

Mark – the As You Like It play has been running in the UK for years, way before Game Of Thrones aired and they used rabbits in the UK.

I am glad they decided not to use rabbits in the play in NYC. There is no reason to use a real, live animal (or at least, was alive before they killed it for their play) in such a way!