Raygun musical cancelled after viral Olympianâs legal threat
Australian breaker Rachael Gunnâs legal team has stopped a musical parody about her journey to the Paris Olympics from taking to the stage.
The show titled âRaygun: The Musicalâ was created by Australian comedian Steph Broadbridge, who was also due to feature in the cast.
It was due to debut on Saturday at Kinselas in Darlinghurst, Sydney, but Broadbridge was forced to cancel the show after lawyers sent a cease and desist letter.
In a statement to the Guardian, Gunnâs legal and management team said it was committed to protecting her intellectual property and ensuring that her brand remained strong and respected.
Broadbridge said on Instagram that she planned for the show to be âback soonâ and âwith a whole new story arcâ. Everyone who was due to attend the trial show would be offered a refund for their A$10 ticket, she added.
She said: âThey [Gunnâs legal team] were worried I was damaging her brand, which I would never.â
Gunn failed to receive a single point from judges at this summerâs Olympic games and was subsequently eliminated from the round-robin stage which led to a torrent of abuse online.
Despite being defended by officials, her performance divided opinion within the breaking community, with some saying she made a mockery of the scene.
Gunn had initially planned to keep competing after the Olympics, but in November said the saga had been so âupsettingâ that she changed her mind and had decided to retire.
Some of Gunnâs unconventional moves â such as the sprinkler and kangaroo-hop â went viral after her Olympics performance.
Now, Gunnâs lawyers have reportedly trademarked the poster for the musical and advised Broadbridge that she was ânot allowedâ to do the kangaroo dance because Gunn âownsâ it.
âThat one did puzzle me â I mean, thatâs an Olympic-level dance,â Broadbridge said in her Instagram video. âHow would I possibly be able to do that without any formal breakdancing training?â
She ended her video saying that she intends to change the name of her character to âRaygun with an Iâ in hopes that âfixes everyoneâs concernsâ.
In their statement to The Guardian, Gunnâs legal team said: âWhile we have immense respect for the credible work and effort that has gone into the development of the show, we must take necessary steps to safeguard Rachaelâs creative rights and the integrity of her work.
âThis action is not intended to diminish the contributions of others, but rather to ensure her brand is properly represented and protected in all future endeavours.â