Sydney play starring Hugh Sheridan is pulled from production because the cast isn't 'transgender enough'

A Sydney play featuring Hugh Sheridan has halted production after activists slammed the cast for not being transgender. 

Producers of Hedwig and the Angry Inch have cancelled the play's 2021 Sydney Festival season after an open letter was published slamming the casting.

The Australian actor, best known for his role on Packed to the Rafters, was cast in the transgender role of Hedwig.

The Queer Artist Alliance Australia took to social media complaining the 35-year-old wasn't transgender like his character, Hedwig Robinson. 

Australian actor Hugh Sheridan, best known for his role on Packed to the Rafters, was cast in the transgender role of Hedwig

Producers of Hedwig and the Angry Inch have cancelled the play's 2021 Sydney Festival season after an open letter was published about casting Sheridan

'We would like to express our profound sadness and disappointment that trans performers are still fighting for equal opportunities and representation,' the open letter read. 

'The choice to cast a cis-gender male as a transgender character is offensive and damaging to the trans-community, and continues to cause genuine stress and frustration amongst trans- and gender- nonconforming performers all across Australia.'

The alliance agreed that Sheridan was a talented and deserving actor but said it was not appropriate for him to 'be the gatekeeper of a trans story'.

'While we understand the box office appeal in having a famous and commercially successful actor such as Hugh Sheridan headlining the show, our problem is that marginalised groups have been excluded from participating in a significant opportunity to tell our story because we are not as 'well-known' or may not 'sell enough tickets,' the alliance said. 

Radio personality Ben Fordham called out the open letter, claiming political correctness was having a 'damaging effect' in Australia.

'Some people can't see this because they are captured by political correctness,' Fordham said on 2GB on Tuesday morning.

The Queer Artist Alliance Australia took to social media complaining that Sheridan wasn't transgender like his character, Hedwig Robinson

'This is disgraceful discrimination!' 

The play's plot heavily focuses on gender identity, tracing the journey of young East Berlin man, Hedwig, who has a botched sex change in order to flee Germany in the 1990s. 

Last month Sheridan opened up in The Sunday Telegraph about his relationship with both men and women.

When the play's casting was announced, Sheridan said he was confident about moving into the role.

'Hedwig is so open and so raw, I wouldn't have felt that I was doing the best job that I could if I hadn't been open and raw myself,' he said on November 10.

'I want to go into it being as open and raw and naked on the stage as I can be, metaphorically speaking.' 

Sheridan said being involved in the production was about accepting the depths of being human, but knew there would be challenges in the role.

Last month Sheridan opened up in The Sunday Telegraph about his relationship with both men and women

'Hedwig's a tough role for anyone, no matter what their label is or their sexuality or gender,' he said.

'It requires you to draw on a level of honesty that is very uncomfortable for a lot of people, and has been for me for a long time.' 

Hedwig's production staff released a statement in response to the open letter, saying they were taking the casting issue 'very seriously'.       

'In casting Hedwig we auditioned a wide, diverse range of performers and no one from any background was excluded from this process, and were encouraged,' the statement said.

'We wish to assure the Trans and LGBTQIA+ community that the issues raised are respected and taken very seriously.'

The Sydney Festival said ticket holders affected by the postponement will be refunded.

'The values of equality and inclusivity have long guided the work of Sydney Festival,' organisers said in a statement.

'With these values in mind, the Festival supports the producer’s decision to postpone the January season of the play as they respond to issues raised around casting in the production.'