b'Monique Daynumber of interviews than the applicant with a Muslimtheir prejudice is non-existent.In this way, colour-blind name (Adesina 2017: np). While employers may enforcecasting provides tremendous protection for those who equality policies, unconscious bias allows people whoactively harbour racist views but seek to keep them consciously said they wanted qualified minority employeeshidden as choosing to ignore race and colour provides to then unconsciously rate rsums with black-soundingthe opportunity for ignoring racism and colourism names as less qualified (Moule 2009: 322-323). There is(Burke 2018: 21).overwhelming evidence that unconscious bias seeps into decisions that affect recruitment, access to healthcareWhile there are assertions that color blindness serves and outcomes in criminal justice in ways that canas a social-political mask to hide individual and disadvantage people from ethnic minorities (Devlin 2018:institutional prejudice, it also camouflages the reality np). Therefore, we cannot whole-heartedly accept thatof white privilege (Brown 2012: 50). Colour-blind colour-blind casting policies eliminate prejudice againstcasting achieves inclusivity though allowing people of colour. Our internal scripts, which carry colourist ideas,colour to play characters who were traditionally written unconsciously influence our external practice, such as thefor white Europeans. This means that classical texts, action of hiring a specific actor. For instance, in the castingsuch as Shakespearean plays, are able to constantly be of Shakespeares young and innocent Juliet, the sight of areproduced without excluding non-European actors. dark-skinned actress whose skin colour encapsulates theHowever, for some, like Pullitzer-Prize winning stereotype of aggressiveness can produce unconscious biasplaywright August Wilson, there is concern that simply towards a light-skinned actress auditioning for the samecasting people of colour in traditionally white roles leads role, her appearance signifying civic innocence and beauty. to the whitewashing of theatre as many color blind While the casting director intends to blind-cast based onprojects using classics and other white or European talent, there is no certainty that unconscious bias will notdrama to showcase (black) talent provide only a superficial influence their judgment. representation of our diverse world. True diversity means creating a balance amalgam of different cultures Following the implementation of race relation laws and(Brown 2012: 51). The meaning and preconceptions policies, many agree that overt racism in twenty-firstattached to skin colour represent many histories from century Britain has declined. These changes, however,around the world, therefore colour-blind casting of have not eradicated race and colour discrimination. Itclassical European plays ignores the culture and politics has simply changed the way in which these attitudes arewhich a diverse stage has to offer. In this sense the expressed, shifting from public acts of discriminationrhetoric of color blindness only diminishes the value to private underground expressions of hatred.It canof non-white cultures, while leaving whiteness intact be argued that colour-blind casting policies keep covert(Catanese 2011: 34). colour discrimination hidden. This is known as colour-blind racism, where individuals or institutions assertThe 1997 debate between August Wilson and Robert that we live in a colour-blind society in which there is noBurstein highlights the concern of colour-blind casting personal or national problem with racism and colourism.whitewashing theatre. While Robert Burstein found This creates a faade that hides covert discrimination andcolour-blind casting to be a major step forward towards acts as a defence against any accusation of prejudice andracially diverse companies, August Wilson insisted that discrimination due to the assertion of not seeing colour. InWe do not need colorblind casting; we need some asserting that the playing field is now equal because lawstheatres to develop our playwrights (Pao 2010: 44). and policies have eradicated the mechanisms that produceHe argued that colour-blindness denied the existence structural inequalities people are prevented from beingand worth of a unique black worldview, values, style, able to examine meaningfully the reality of ongoing raciallinguistics, religion, and aesthetics and instead maintained inequality (Burke 2018: 2).white supremacy through allowing people of colour to join their white European world of theatre (Pao 2010: 43). In colour-blind casting, for instance, if the casting directorIn this sense, colour-blind casting doesnt seek to confront unconsciously or intentionally discriminates against a dark- issues of colourism, work with, or celebrate the diversity skin actor, to address this would prove difficult becauseand culture which skin colour provides. Ignoring or being there is already an established defence on the part for theblind to colour therefore justifies a lack of racial and directorthey are supposedly blind to colour and thereforecolour consciousness and keeps whiteness intact. 9'