Boy George has withdrawn from the upcoming London Palladium production of Jesus Christ Superstar, days after releasing a controversial single voicing support for Israel's military action against Palestine. He was due to play King Herod in the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical.
The song, titled We Will Dance Again, includes the lyrics: “You say genocide, I say war / When you’re attacked, that’s what the army’s for.” It also criticises musicians who have voiced support for Palestine, describing them as “mouthing like sheep”. A UN commission has described Israel’s military campaign as genocidal.
His manager, Paul Kemsley, announced the decision on Instagram, stating it was “in the best interests of my artist” and allowing the production to remain the focus. He apologised to ticketholders and thanked the creative team. The role of Herod was shared by five actors; Richard Armitage will now cover Boy George’s performances. Boy George alluded to his departure with a Groucho Marx quote.
The decision followed calls for protests outside the Palladium and widespread criticism on social media. Martyn Ware of the Human League and Heaven 17 described the song as an “overtly pro-genocide, anti-Palestinian piece of musical propaganda”. Boy George responded on X and Threads, defending his right to express his views. He said the song’s title referenced the Nova festival massacre and was created with AI. He has previously voiced support for the UK’s Jewish community and remained in Eurovision despite boycott calls.
