Billy Elliot musical cuts dates in Budapest after newspaper suggests it's turning kids gay

The publication had launched a homophobic media campaign against the production

(Péter Rákossy)

Multiple performances of the musical Billy Elliot has been cancelled in Budapest due to a Hungarian newspaper's homophobic campaign against the production.

The Hungarian National Opera confirmed on Thursday (21 June) it was to cancel 15 shows due to a backlash incited by Magyar Idok newspaper which resulted in a ticket sale decrease.

Opera director Szilveszter Okovacs released a statement following the decision to slash dates. Pink News reports it as reading: “As you know, the negative campaign in recent weeks against the Billy Elliot production led to a big drop in ticket sales and for this reason, we are cancelling 15 performances in line with the decision of our management."

The publication had taken aim at the musical by including an article that implied organisers were hoping to turn audience members into homosexuals.

It wrote: “The propagation of homosexuality cannot be a national goal when the population is getting older and smaller and our country is threatened by invasion.“

The production of Billy Elliot - based on the 2000 dance film from filmmaker Stephan Daldry - will continue for 24 dates in Hungary's capital.

Telling the story of the working-class boy who wants to become a ballet star, the production is choreographed by Ákos Tihanyi. The cast includes popular Hungarian performers, including Nikolett Gallusz and András Stohl.

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