Night of the Living Dead (kids)

Posted on Oct 3, 2008 in Films/Theatre, Life | 0 comments

So, I’m enjoying a coffee at Zoka‘s near Greenlake, and as I step out of the restroom a poster catches my eye: Night of the Living Dead. Hey, I love George Romero’s genre-defining flick as much as more than the next guy. But what was striking was who was putting on the production: Seattle Children’s Theatre!

Apparently, the theatre has injected camp, comedy, and a lot of Seattle references to make it palatable to youngsters. According to the Seattle Times story:

SCT director Linda Hartzell says her production is intended for kids 13 and older…

Kids, I know, are desensitized to violence thanks to the exposure they receive on TV (any law/cop drama), movies (just about any of them), and video games (Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, etc.). I’m not suggesting that these things should be regulated any more than they are; I don’t know enough about it to judge. But I do think that a children’s theatre should not be remaking zombie movies into plays for kids. Call me old fashioned, but I think such an important cultural and artistic venue ought to produce plays that are positive, encouraging, and perhaps challenging… but certainly not horrifying. However justified by the “comedy” added to it, or the fact that gummy worms stand in for real human intestines, the fact remains that the dead don’t stay dead and come after the living. That’s not the sort of topic a tween should be dealing with; at least, not at a play put on by one of Seattle’s most reputable theatres.

All that said, I think a campy production version of Romero’s 1968 classic is a good idea—but for adults, not kids.

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