Rachel Zegler’s West End revival of Evita has drawn criticism for including a trigger warning about ‘loud music and sudden noises’ — but much of the backlash reflects a misunderstanding of what trigger warnings are actually for.
The production at the London Palladium, which stars Zegler, 24, in her UK stage debut, has already faced criticism for the decision to have Zegler perform a key number on a balcony while the audience watches a live feed video.
Now, it’s facing even more backlash for warning audiences about the use of loud music, sudden noises, strobe lighting, flashing lights, and haze in the production.
Zegler plays the titular role of Eva Perón in Sir Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s beloved musical, which follows the story of Perón as she rises to political power in Latin America.
Toby Young, director of the Free Speech Union, said: ‘Warning fans of musical theatre that they may hear loud music and sudden noises is beyond parody. Just how stupid do theatre owners think their customers are?’
He continued to The Telegraph: ‘I cannot imagine someone who’s paid £350 for a pair of tickets to Evita complaining that it contains loud music. They’d be more likely to complain if it didn’t.’
Trigger warnings, which have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, aim to alert audiences to potentially upsetting or harmful material they may wish to avoid or prepare themselves to engage with.
Young is not the only one to have spoken out against trigger warnings.
Actor Ralph Fiennes told BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: ‘I think we didn’t use to have trigger warnings. I mean, there are very disturbing scenes in Macbeth, terrible murders and things.
‘But I think the impact of theater should be that you’re shocked and you should be disturbed. I don’t think you should be prepared for these things and when I was young, never had trigger warnings for shows.’
Sir Ian McKellan agrees with Fiennes’ perspective, telling Sky News when he was in Frank and Percy on the West end: ‘Outside theaters and in the lobbies, including this one, the audience is warned “there is a loud noise and at one point, there are flashing lights,” “there is reference to smoking,” “there is reference to bereavement.” I think it’s ludicrous. I quite like to be surprised by loud noises and outrageous behavior on stage.’
But these perspectives reflect a common misconception about trigger warnings: They are not about coddling audiences or spoiling artistic intent – they are about providing individuals, especially those with past trauma, the informed choice to engage with difficult content on their own terms.
As Reddit user LadyDisdain555 writes in a thread about the issue: ‘Trigger warnings aren’t to prevent offence. They’re safety precautions in case someone’s trauma responses are activated by the content. They’re literally there to allow people to protect themselves, while also trying to keep free expression alive.’
Many don’t understand that trigger warnings are not just about mental health. If, for example, you suffer from epilepsy and flashing lights can bring on your seizures, the use of trigger warnings in stage productions allows you to check beforehand if you might be at risk.
Additionally, to equate emotional surprise with artistic value assumes a universal audience experience, ignoring the fact that for some, unanticipated depictions of violence, bereavement, or abuse can cause real psychological distress, not just momentary discomfort.
Far from undermining art, trigger warnings create a more inclusive space where everyone can participate safely, and real people are benefiting.
Reddit user the_pleiades wrote in a thread about the Game of Thrones spin off House of the Dragon: ‘Honestly, the trigger warning in season 1 of House of Dragon about miscarriage/pregnancy loss was very helpful for me to mentally prepare and make sure I was ready to watch something traumatic that I personally experienced and hadn’t fully processed.’
There are also numerous examples of the negative outcomes that can result from a lack of trigger warnings. Saving Private Ryan, the classic 1998 film about World War II, is a famous example.
The Omaha Beach landing scene in the film was so accurate that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs had to set up a toll-free hotline within the first three days of the film’s release to help World War II veterans who were triggered by it.
In fact, a spokesperson at the time issued a statement to The Deseret Sun, that read: ‘Counselors at VA medical facilities have been asked to prepare to assist veterans who experience emotional trauma as a result of the movie.’
The Department of Veterans Affairs later reported that the hotline received hundreds of calls from deeply distressed veterans.
If you don’t like trigger warnings because you think they’re condescending or ‘ruin the surprise,’ don’t look at them. Most theatres only include them in the programme for the show, with a few stating them on a subtle sign in the lobby.
Even if trigger warnings are unavoidable, is ‘spoiling’ a surprise really too high a price to pay for making theatre more inclusive and accessible?
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