''England People Very Nice'' is a play by

Richard Bean Richard Anthony Bean (born 11 June 1956) is an English playwright. Early years Born in East Hull, Bean was educated at Hull Grammar School, and then studied social psychology at Loughborough University, graduating with a 2:1 BSc Hons. He then ...

. It opened at the National Theatre in February 2009. The play, directed by

Nicholas Hytner Sir Nicholas Robert Hytner (; born 7 May 1956) is an English theatre director, film director, and film producer. He was previously the Artistic Director of London's National Theatre. His major successes as director include '' Miss Saigon'', ''T ...

, is about four waves of immigrants - French Huguenot, Irish, Jewish and Bangladeshi - that have arrived in the district of

Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in the East End of London northeast of Charing Cross. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the Green, much of which survives today as Bethnal Green Gardens, beside Cambridge Heath Road. By ...

, East London, over the course of the last three hundred years. During a talk at the theatre given by Mr. Bean on 28 February 2009, Keith Kinsella, a teacher at Blackfen School for Girls, and Hussain Ismail, a playwright, walked onto the stage carrying placards, protesting against what they called racist depictions of ethnic groups in the play. “Richard Bean is making it seem like all Bangladeshis are drug dealers or users, muggers and marry their cousins,” Mr. Ismail said.Play in London Greeted by Protest, New York Times March 2, 2009
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References

2009 plays Plays set in London Plays set in the 19th century Plays set in the 20th century Plays by Richard Bean {{2000s-play-stub