Dame Judi Dench recently shared her thoughts on trigger warnings in an interview with Radio Times, advising sensitive audience members to avoid the theatre if they can’t handle potentially shocking material.
Dench questioned the necessity of trigger warnings before plays like King Lear or Titus Andronicus, suggesting that the element of surprise and interpretation is lost when audiences are forewarned.
She expressed a belief that theatre is meant to excite, surprise, and stimulate, and that being forewarned of potentially offensive content takes away from the experience.
Dench’s perspective aligns with other actors like Ralph Fiennes, who believe that the impact of theatre should be unsettling and unprepared for.
Many theatre companies have started incorporating trigger warnings for sensitive material, but Dench and others continue to advocate for a more raw and unfiltered theatrical experience.
