A stark divide has emerged between international online criticism and positive Scottish media coverage of a Glasgow theatre production featuring a Black actress portraying the 15th-century French peasant woman Joan of Arc.
Mandipa Kabana, a young Scottish actress from Bathgate, stars in the Citizens Theatre’s adaptation of Saint Joan, which premiered on 14 February. Whilst Scottish outlets including The National, The Herald and The Sunday Post have treated the show positively as an innovative, youthful interpretation of George Bernard Shaw’s classic, viral social media posts have amplified controversy focused on historical accuracy and ethnicity.
International accounts on X, including Visegrád 24, have shared promotional images alongside criticism characterizing the casting as “woke” revisionism or cultural disrespect given Joan of Arc’s historical identity. The debate has spread to French, Hungarian and US-adjacent online platforms, fueling broader culture-war discussions around theatrical casting practices and historical representation.
Local Scottish reporting has provided little emphasis on casting controversy, instead highlighting the production’s contemporary themes and stripped-back approach. The 90-minute adaptation, directed by Tony Award winner Stewart Laing, condenses Shaw’s play with elements from an unproduced screenplay.
Laing has drawn explicit parallels between Joan – historically aged 17-19 during her military campaigns – and modern youth activists like Greta Thunberg. The director stated he prioritized casting someone closer to Joan’s historical age over traditional theatrical expectations, emphasizing themes of power, gender, youth-led change and marginalized voices in politics.
Kabana, who previously appeared in BBC children’s series Gifted, performs in what appears to be her stage debut. She is supported by five male actors – Lewis MacDougall, Manasa Tagica, Martin O’Connor, Ross Mann and Thierry Mabonga – who handle multiple roles.
Supporters view the casting as valid artistic interpretation in theatre, where non-literal casting approaches such as color-blind or cross-cultural methods are commonly employed to explore thematic content rather than strict historical realism. Critics maintain that casting a Black actress to portray a historical European figure constitutes inappropriate revision of historical reality.
The production represents a small-scale Scottish theatre offering co-produced by Raw Material, Perth Theatre and Aberdeen Performing Arts rather than a major commercial production. The show runs at Citizens Theatre’s Studio space until 28 February before touring Perth Theatre, Lemon Tree in Aberdeen, and Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh through late March.
Ticket prices range from £16.50 to £23.50 plus fees for performances across the Scottish tour venues. The story’s reach beyond Scotland has been driven primarily through social media virality rather than widespread mainstream attention.
The contrast between international online fury and positive Scottish media reception highlights geographic and cultural divides in reactions to contemporary theatrical interpretation of historical figures. Scottish coverage has emphasized the production’s focus on youth agency and contemporary political parallels whilst international commentary has centered on ethnicity and historical fidelity.
The production continues its scheduled Scottish tour through late March regardless of international online debate, with no indication from Citizens Theatre or production partners of changes to casting or presentation in response to social media criticism.
