Campbelltown Performing High parents’ complaint over lesbian kisses in Romeo and Juliet

A gender-bending “SHEkspeare” take on a Shakespeare play with “lesbian kisses” and a female Romeo at a Sydney high school has triggered some parents. Tell us what you think. Vote in our poll.

A “passionate” lesbian kissing scene in a Shakespeare play shown to high school students has prompted complaints from parents.

The gender-bending version of Romeo and Juliet, which featured Romeo as a woman, performed to students at Campbelltown Performing Arts High, sparked a question in the NSW Parliament after parents raised the issue with MP Mark Latham.

He says the parents were concerned they were not told about the “controversial” version of the play in advance, performed by the Dire Theatre Company to Years 8, 9 and 10 students in the school hall.

A permission slip for the play made no mention of the alternative version of the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

The theatre company promotes the play to schools by saying it is a “modernised, condensed” version and that the “SHEwolves” of “SHEkespeare” created this “brand new, all female, modern interpretation”.

The Dire Theatre Company runs a "SHEkespeare" company - featuring a female led cast for classics such as Romeo and Juliet.

“There’s passionate kissing scene going on stage,” Mr Latham said. “Some of the boys yelled out, others were distressed, some of the girls were upset.

“The parents are very upset with the note that went out where there was no mention of this. The kids came home saying there were two women kissing.

Dire Theatre performed a version of Romeo and Juliet with two female leads at Campbelltown Performing Arts High on May 3, prompting some complaints.

“It’s inappropriate, this shouldn’t happen in front of 13 and 14-year-olds unless you have parental permission, some of these kids haven’t even hit adolescence.

“There are Christian, Hindu, Muslim and socially conservative parents in the Campbelltown community who have a different view and were not given the option to opt out.”

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell responded to the questions by saying that “consistent with the Department of Education’s Controversial Issues in Schools policy”, students attended with parental permission.

But Mr Latham said the issue was the parents were not told what the controversial issue was.

Ms Mitchell also said: “The exchange of affection by actors during the play was considered appropriate to the script”.

She said the parents had not complained directly to the school.

The Dire Theatre Company, established in 2015, runs a “Shakespeare in Schools” program.

The promotional pack sent to schools to promote the Dire Theatre Company.

“It is the work’s versatility that has compelled the SHEwolves of SHEkespeare to create a brand new, all female, modern interpretation, of the play,” the company says on its website.

Artistic director Adam O’Brien said the aim was to get a “new perspective on old tropes – back in the day only men would have been allowed to perform - Juliet would have been performed by a man 400 years ago”.

“I would think it would be fairly understood that Romeo and Juliet would have scenes of affection onstage,” he said. “It would be naïve to expect the world’s greatest love story would omit any of the love.”

He said there had been no complaints previously about the play.

The Department of Education has been contacted for comment.