A Scottish theatre production of Saint Joan has sparked online debate after casting a Black actress to play Joan of Arc, the 15th-century French peasant woman of European descent, with viral social media posts amplifying criticism focused on historical accuracy and ethnicity.
The Citizens Theatre production, which premiered on 14 February in Glasgow, stars Mandipa Kabana, a young Scottish actress from Bathgate, in the title role. The casting choice has triggered reactions across international online spaces, according to production background materials.
Viral posts on X, including from accounts like Visegrád 24 which shared promotional images and the production’s “power of youth-led change” framing, have amplified the controversy. Criticism focuses on ethnicity and historical accuracy, with some characterizing the casting as “woke” revisionism or cultural disrespect given Joan of Arc’s historical identity as a 15th-century French peasant woman.
The debate has spread to international online spaces including French, Hungarian and US-adjacent platforms, fueling broader culture-war discussions around theatrical casting practices and historical representation.
However, 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.
Scottish media coverage presents a markedly different perspective. The National, The Herald and The Sunday Post have treated the production positively as an innovative, youthful interpretation of George Bernard Shaw’s classic, with little emphasis on casting controversy in local reporting.
The production is a stripped-back 90-minute adaptation directed by Tony Award winner Stewart Laing, condensing Shaw’s play with elements from an unproduced screenplay. It 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.
Laing has emphasized contemporary themes including power, gender, youth-led change and marginalized voices in politics, drawing 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.
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.
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 story’s reach beyond Scotland has been driven primarily through social media virality rather than widespread mainstream attention.
Ticket prices range from £16.50 to £23.50 plus fees for performances across the Scottish tour venues through March.
