The head of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (also called the Portuguese initials IC) says it has the right to review scripts of all shows to be staged as part of government organised art events, so that it can “protect public order.”
Leong Wai Man told TDM that this did not preclude satirical or LGBT content, but said that shows in general had to be to the “public’s liking” and that there were “limits.”
Her comments come in the wake of concerns raised by Miguel de Senna Fernandes, a Macanese playwright and the director of the local patuá-language theatre group Doci Papiaçám di Macau. He said that culture officials had asked him to submit the script of its upcoming performance at the 34th Macao Arts Festival – a request that had never been previously made in the 27 years that the group had been part of the event.
Doci Papiaçám di Macau is known for the satirical nature of its performances.
[See more: The Cultural Affairs Bureau shuts down a drag show after just one performance]
The Portuguese dance group Nome Próprio has meanwhile been asked to modify its upcoming Arts Festival show The Three Brothers to avoid nudity on stage, while the drag show Made by Beauty was abruptly shut down after a single performance at the Fringe Festival in January.
Leong denied that satire, social criticism and LGBT content were less likely to pass official scrutiny but said that “the line of protection for public order cannot be crossed,” according to TDM.
“Our bottom line is something that jeopardises the safety of society in general” she told the broadcaster.
She added that, as the organiser of cultural events, the government found it necessary to know the scripts before shows to ensure content was in line with “tastes of Macao audiences”.
