A Stratford woman says an "inappropriate" sign promoting a new theatre show should be pulled down.
Hillary Kieft is upset the bright pink Sex Cells sign which features red lips is close to Stratford Primary School.
Sex Cells is an R18 comedy produced by Stratford on Stage which is currently being shown at The Castle on Regan Street.
Hillary says she was so upset after seeing the sign, she felt inclined to pull it down herself.
"I want this sign taken down. This is my community and I will speak up for morals and values. It's ridiculous - little five and six years olds walk past that every day, they see enough of that garbage on TV now it's on the streets.
"It just adds more fuel to the fire.
"Everybody I have spoken to says the same thing - it's inappropriate. To me that sign speaks a lot of different messages."
She had posted about her feelings on Facebook but removed the post after receiving a message from director Tracey Blake who was upset over Hillary's interpretation of the sign. Tracey told the Stratford Press that the sign's placement near a school was "irrelevant" because it was on theatre property.
"It's our theatre and our facility and she is the only one who has said anything about it.
"It's up to a parent to choose responsibly to make a big deal out of it or not."
Tracey says the play was about "friendship and the strength of women" and the theatre will not take the sign down.
Although the play featured sex toys, it was not about selling sex, with the title Sex Cells referring to human cells and more specifically infertility.
Tracey says Sex Cells is a comedy which follows the lives of four women. It is set in a busy call centre selling and distributing adult sex toys and it follows their lives as they talk about sex, love, motherhood and struggles to conceive.
Tracey says it is a sad and funny play which touched on many themes that women could relate to. She says nothing was hidden about the show's content, with all advertising for the show stating that content may offend and that it contained adult themes. Tickets are only being sold to people aged 18 and over.
What do you think? Share your opinion and write to the editor, PO Box 300, Stratford or email editor@stratfordpress.co.nz
-Disclosure: Tracey Blake is an employee of NZME.