A pantomime production has hit back at a local resident who complained there were "too many black people" in the cast.
A man known only as "Mr Smith from somewhere in Sevenoaks", phoned the Stag Theatre in Kent to complain about this year's production of Sleeping Beauty, which features famous faces such as EastEnders star Ricky Norwood and hit girl group Cleopatra.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
However, producer Jamie Wilson, who runs the pantomime, was having none of it – and penned a lively open letter in response.
"How many black people is too many?" he asked. "But now you've got us thinking, and we need some advice. Is one black performer ok? Two? Is it just five that tips you over the edge?"
He wondered whether "sir" further wanted the producers to "check for homosexuals" and asked if a man wearing a dress would upset him.
In conclusion, he wrote: "Finally, I understand you told the box office you wouldn't be booking your tickets, Mr Smith. And we think that's probably for the best."