The Public Theater announced over the weekend that it was canceling remaining performances of Josh Fox's solo performance The Truth Has Changed, which began January 11 as part of the 2020 Under the Radar Festival. In a statement posted on Twitter on January 18, the Off-Broadway theatre cited multiple violations of its code of conduct.
"Following discussions with Mr. Fox and his team, The Public Theater determined we could no longer work together," read the statement.
A statement from The Public Theater: pic.twitter.com/7K3KoELAO7
— The Public Theater (@PublicTheaterNY) January 18, 2020
Fox has taken to social media to share his side of the story, which includes claims of unsafe working conditions and being "physically and verbally abused." The filmmaker and environmental activist also claims that The Public's alleged financial ties to "the oil industry's foundations," were linked to the cancellation of The Truth Has Changed, a show which traces the history of misinformation in the U.S. as it pertains to climate change, 9/11, and more. You can read the Twitter thread here.
The Public's statement read that "the content of Josh's show had nothing to do with the cancellation."
A spokeswoman for The Public, Shareeza Bhola, told The New York Times in an interview that Fox's violations of conduct included "a series of verbal abuses to the staff.” Fox, who was also interviewed by NYT, has accused the Public's employees of lobbing "anti-Semitic tropes" towards him.
Fox is the Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning director of Gasland Parts I and II, How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can't Change, and Awake, a Dream from Standing Rock, among other films.
The Truth Has Changed played its final performance at Under the Radar on January 16. The show is written and performed by Fox and executive produced by Eve Ensler, and has since been remounted at the International Wow Haus, founded by Fox and a group of artists, in Brooklyn. An announcement regarding future ticketing has not been made.
Under the Radar wrapped up on January 19.
This is a clear mischaracterization bordering on character assassination and smear. Shame on you, @PublicTheaterNY
— Josh Fox EndFossilFuels (@joshfoxfilm) January 18, 2020
The truth is that I had lodged several complaints of code of conduct against The Public Theater, that working conditions there were truly disastrous. https://t.co/LVSuvskPcw