The Atheist's Prayer
After a solar eclipse, nineteen people were found dead in a remote area of the California National Forest. They were lying in a circle, holding hands and wearing plastic fairy wings. Years later, on the other side of the country, no one in the southern city of Jefferson is concerned about fairies or fairy-worshiping suicide cults. Except for Candy. She might not have proof, but she's damn sure it's going to happen again. The problem is, Candy is a coke-dealing stripper and the only person who will listen to her is an alcoholic mall Santa named Hank, who's only listening because, well...she's hot. There are seven days until the next eclipse.,
Spectatorship and the Real in French Contemporary Theatre
This book explores how avant-garde directors in French theatre play on their audiences' frustration to generate an encounter with the real. Focusing on the work of directors such as Gis癡le Vienne, Jan Lauwers, Rodrigo Garcia, Jan Fabre and Romeo Castellucci, the book looks at how these directors manipulate their audiences to experience a raw perception of materiality and physical bodies on stage, set within narratives of mystery and the uncanny. This approach has led to these directors' work described as 'obscene', 'pretentious', 'demagogic' and 'provocative'. Because of this, the act of spectating and the nature of spectatorship itself becomes complicated and tends to leave French audiences doubting traditional codes and practices. It leads to the directors' work being misjudged and to contradictory discourses between critics, researchers and directors. The book examines how directors implement strategies on stage to trigger such experiences, while evaluating how problematic these strategies are. It develops critical and philosophical tools that help spectators extend their field of perception and better engage with these contemporary practices. And, in doing so, it analyses a fascinating paradox: the French theatre scene hosting both active avant-garde practices, especially when it comes to spectator experience, and strong rejections from audiences.
Comedie Francaise
This is a print on demand edition of an important, hard-to-find publication.
Unlocking Dracula A.D. 1972
Initially dismissed upon its release, Dracula A.D. 1972 has since evolved into a cult classic. This book, the first dedicated solely to the film, unpacks the reasons behind Dracula's enduring appeal. It offers an in-depth analysis of the broader political, social, and cinematic contexts in which the film was created. Key themes explored include the occult revival of the early 1970s, the psycho-geography of the Chelsea neighborhood where the story is set, and the role of the film's distinctive cars, costumes, and set design. This volume situates Dracula A.D. 1972 within the wider traditions of both revenge tragedy and contemporary horror cinema. It also examines the film's nostalgic power, highlighting Mike Vickers' musical score, the impact of actors Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, and the creative vision of director Alan Gibson. It provides crucial insights into the film's production and lasting significance, highlighting the artistic and historical influence that established it as a cult classic.
Invisible Digital
Invisible Digital helps us makes sense of something we cannot see by presenting an innovative approach to digital images and digital culture. At its heart is a novel method for exploring software used in the creation of moving images as markers of converging cultural, organizational and technological influences. The three main case studies of Invisible Digital are the animated feature Moana (2016) and the computer games No Man's Sky (2016) and Everything (2017). All three were created using procedural techniques: simulation software for Moana, and procedural content generation for No Man's Sky and Everything. Production culture disclosures associated with procedural techniques often emphasize the influences of automated systems and their algorithms, making them ideal for a study that interrogates digital processes. The approach of Invisible Digital is informed by relational theories and the concept of entanglement based on materialist perspectives, combined with insights from work that more explicitly interrogates algorithms and algorithmic culture. Aylish Wood employs the notion of assemblages to introduce the concept of material-cultural narratives. Using this conceptual framework, she draws out material-cultural narratives for each case study to demonstrate what they reveal about software and digital culture. These analyses of software provide a widely applicable method through which moving image studies can contribute more fully to the wider and growing debates about algorithmic culture.
Rhythm in Postdramatic Performance Process
Combining theory and historiography, this book presents a new means for considering rhythm in postdramatic performance by examining the creative processes of three major international companies: Mime Omnibus (Montreal, Canada), Dairakudakan (Tokyo, Japan), and SITI Company (New York, US). While rhythm is unanimously acknowledged as fundamental to performance, critical in every role from performing and directing to design and dramaturgy, studies on the subject are limited and the phenomenon remains obscure. This book remedies that, offering a unique focus on 'rhythmanalysis', bringing distinctive and insightful attention to rhythm as permeating key areas of performance process. By focusing on recent work from these three major companies, the book provides a glimpse into each company's latest devising processes, enriched by scholarly and archival research, while personal interviews give voice to performers often absent in performance analysis and criticism. Through its theoretical and practical offerings, this book brings greater understanding by putting forth a simplified model that can be applied to both interdisciplinary practices and theoretical analysis. The reader gains not only a greater understanding of rhythm in contemporary performance, but also significant insights into the working methods of each company.
Radical Realisms in Contemporary British Theatre
This book offers radical new insights into the relation between realism, feminism and gender identities in contemporary theatre. It maps the theatrical forms emerging from a 'new wave' of women's playwriting in Britain in the 2010s, unsettling the boundaries between what is conventionally considered realist and what is considered experimental. While realism has often been characterized as a politically conservative form in feminist criticism, the author argues that contemporary feminist plays demonstrate the potential of realism, both artistically and politically, to adapt and respond to our changing world. By re-encountering realism as an experimental form through close analysis of plays and productions, the author reveals the radicalism of realism anew. Reconsidering longstanding debates in feminist theatre scholarship in the light of contemporary theatre practice in the UK, this book also offers a new, 'feminist formalist' theoretical approach to analyzing plays. Playwrights and practitioners studied include RashDash, Katie Mitchell, Alice Birch, Ella Hickson, Jasmine Lee-Jones, Tanika Gupta, Young Jean Lee, Lucy Kirkwood, Travis Alabanza, Ya禱l Farber, Split Britches and Caryl Churchill. Case studies are enriched by original interviews with practitioners, as well as performance analysis, close reading and archival research. This book explores and celebrates the vitality and inventiveness of contemporary feminist playwriting.
Practice, Research, and Cognition in Devised Performance
This interdisciplinary study explores devised performance and practice research at the intersection of the cognitive sciences and arts. It interrogates relationships between epistemology and cognition, action and aesthetics, and first-person experience and third-person investigation. Pairing practice research methodologies from theatre and performance with cognitive and neuroscientific approaches-both theoretical and empirical-it reveals new insights into the practices of collective creation in theatre. To foreground the insider knowledge inherent to practice research, the main case studies are works created and performed by Maiya Murphy's international movement-based devising collective, Autopoetics. Autopoetics' work is contextualized in reference to major international devising companies, dance companies, and interdisciplinary research projects including Complicit矇, Frantic Assembly, Forced Entertainment, Tectonic Theater Project, The Necessary Stage, Company Wayne McGregor, Australian Dance Theatre, Choreography and Cognition, Motion Bank and Watching Dance: Kinesthetic Empathy. Practice, Research, and Cognition in Devised Performance proposes a model for breaking down disciplinary silos to freshly access the processes of collaborative practice and invigorate research in the humanities and arts.
Drag Vistas and Visions
This third and final volume in Edward and Farrier's groundbreaking trilogy spotlights the vibrant spectrum of drag as an art form, identity category and political force. Drawing on practice, research, and interdisciplinary approaches, the volume captures drag's continual capacity to challenge, critique and create.Drawing from a range of academic disciplines, including critical disability studies, media, philosophy, linguistics, the book celebrates the many faces - and possibilities - of drag as a cultural and performance form. The contributions include chapters that are assertively activist, deeply reflective, and thought provoking. This third volume goes in search of new conversations through the exploration of critical drag studies. The frameworks that formulate these conversations advocate for a broader, inclusive vision of drag, while not shying away from some of its problematic components. The chapters peek behind the glamourous veneer of drag, exposing the grit and sweat that underpin the performance, while winking at the theory that we may use to understand. Drag Vistas and Visions sees drag through a transformative lens that pushes boundaries and transcends the ordinary.
Liberation
To liberate anyone, you must first overthrowwhat you fear within yourself, Nkrumah.(Beat) It was never going to happen over oneweek in Manchester. (Beat) It is your life'swork. (Beat) It is a marathon. It's 15 October 1945, Manchester. Africa's freedom and future is in the hands of her descendants at the Fifth Pan-African Congress at Chorlton-on-Medlock Town Hall. Emerging African & Caribbean activists and scholars offer new radical ideas of liberation. However, the organiser, Trinidadian activist George Padmore is unsure who to pass the baton to. Kwame Nkrumah is fuelled by an idealistic desire to become the first Black president of the Gold Coast. Resourceful Jamaican social worker Alma La Badie is grappling with who must be sacrificed for the cause. And what of the revered Amy Ashwood-Garvey how does she ensure the voices of Black women are heard? With generational shifts and gender politics added to a swirling mix of power dynamics, Liberation asks timeless questions about revolution, freedom, and what it means to be an activist. This edition of Liberation commissioned by the Royal Exchange Theatre was published to coincide with the world premiere produced by Royal Exchange Theatre and Factory International Manchester in June 2025.
The Electric Grandma Experience
Bobbo fancied himself as a player of the electrified guitar, but fame was hard to come by in the tiny town of Elsewhere. And when your grandmother gets more airplay than you, it's time to ask the big questions.
Creativity in Theatre-Making
Creativity in Theatre-Making identifies and explores relationships between theatre-makers. The book seeks to expand opportunities for creativity and collaboration from concept to realisation. It does so by reconsidering the so-called 'technical roles' as 'creators', thereby dismantling the conventional distinction between creative and technical teams. The book challenges this limited views of creativity, offers an alternative model of relationships - a heterarchy - and uses this to underpin a range of techniques and strategies that improve the productivity, well-being, and inclusivity of professional theatre practice. Its core pedagogic principle is that understanding 'why' is more useful than simply knowing 'what'. The book includes an overview of all the major specialist meetings and roles in theatre-making; as well as an in-depth exploration of the key resources used to create Shows and how these can be utilised collaboratively and sustainably. There is also advice on giving and receiving effective feedback during the production process and engaging with creative, financial and safety risks. Throughout the text, the author defines the specialist terminology being used, and offers real-world examples. Creativity in Theatre-Making is for undergraduate and postgraduate students studying for a creative and/or 'technical' role in the theatre industry and related sectors, as well as early- and mid-career theatre professionals looking to appraise or refresh their practice.
Experimental Xiqu Performances Endure
This book offers a detailed, comprehensive, and theoretically grounded study of experimental xiqu performances that have taken place in recent decades across Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and online platforms.Situating these performances within their specific socio-political contexts and historical trajectories, this book explores the question, what defining aesthetics and methodologies characterise experimental xiqu practices, and how do they distinguish themselves from traditional xiqu aesthetics and the 'intercultural theatre' paradigm epitomised by the 'Western story, Eastern body' approach? A performative theoretical framework is developed to facilitate a thorough examination of the evolution of xiqu from the last millennium to modern times, with particular focus on the 20th century. The primary objectives of this investigation are twofold: to establish a nuanced understanding of the dynamic and non-dualistic concept of 'traditional xiqu', and to provide a vivid depiction of the diverse soils shaping various experimental xiqu performances. Focusing on aesthetics, this book further conducts detailed performance analyses of The Outcast General, Metamorphosis, Sighing and The Spirits Play Online. This book contends that experimental xiqu performances reveal the deep wounds borne by a significant number of ordinary people in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China. Owing to the discourse of 'beauty' surrounding xiqu, the institutional constraints, the dualistic political discourses and, most of all, the as-yet-unconstructed condition of collective cultural trauma within these contexts, all the wounds are touched 'softly'. Experimental xiqu performances help endure the deep wounds and the unarticulated cultural traumas.This book will be of great interest to theatre, performance and opera studies scholars and students.
The Pop Documentary Since 1980
In The Pop Documentary Since 1980, Richard Wallace examines the representation of pop music, musicians and music-making in documentary film and television. He draws together conceptual frameworks from within and outside of film and television studies - including performance studies, musicology, celebrity studies and fan studies - to provide a critical interrogation of the central issues in this genre. A common criticism of the music documentary is that it lacks artistic integrity because of its close affiliation with its subject. Wallace argues that music documentaries can be artful and conceptually complex and be part of a broader process of image curation under the control of the artist and their management. This contradiction is key to the form's vitality and Wallace explores two competing lines of enquiry. First, the contribution that such documentaries make to the public perception of their subjects. Second, he argues that its 'official' status does not preclude music documentaries from being artistic or engaging with the theoretical questions that underpin documentary media more broadly. Other issues addressed include: - how documentaries about song writing attempt to represent intangible concepts like 'creativity' and 'inspiration';- how the experiential and affective aspects of music are communicated through the visual image; - ethical considerations. Each of these conceptual questions is examined through detailed analysis of a variety of music documentaries ranging from Stop Making Sense to Tokyo Idols via Beyonc矇 and The Beatles.
The Art of Collaboration
The Art of Collaboration explores the critical relationship between directors and stage managers. The book is an essential guide for theatre professionals seeking to build strong creative partnerships, emphasising mutual respect, clear communication and shared goals.Through real-world examples, practical strategies and expert advice, it offers a framework that stimulates collaboration, enhances the rehearsal process and promotes a seamless production.Whether you're a seasoned director, an aspiring stage manager or simply want to know more about how to navigate the production process, this book provides insight to the vital, often-overlooked, role of teamwork in bringing performances to stage.
The Pop Documentary Since 1980
In The Pop Documentary Since 1980, Richard Wallace examines the representation of pop music, musicians and music-making in documentary film and television. He draws together conceptual frameworks from within and outside of film and television studies - including performance studies, musicology, celebrity studies and fan studies - to provide a critical interrogation of the central issues in this genre. A common criticism of the music documentary is that it lacks artistic integrity because of its close affiliation with its subject. Wallace argues that music documentaries can be artful and conceptually complex and be part of a broader process of image curation under the control of the artist and their management. This contradiction is key to the form's vitality and Wallace explores two competing lines of enquiry. First, the contribution that such documentaries make to the public perception of their subjects. Second, he argues that its 'official' status does not preclude music documentaries from being artistic or engaging with the theoretical questions that underpin documentary media more broadly. Other issues addressed include: - how documentaries about song writing attempt to represent intangible concepts like 'creativity' and 'inspiration';- how the experiential and affective aspects of music are communicated through the visual image; - ethical considerations. Each of these conceptual questions is examined through detailed analysis of a variety of music documentaries ranging from Stop Making Sense to Tokyo Idols via Beyonc矇 and The Beatles.
Ready for My Close-Up
For readers of Sam Wasson and Glenn Frankel, a cultural history about the making and lasting significance of Sunset Boulevard, whose piercing--and in many ways, prophetic--critiques of fame continue to resonate today. Great films are born of great collaborations, and Sunset Boulevard represents one of the most extraordinary confluences of cinematic talent in film history--but its production was surprisingly fraught, filled with unexpected twists. Why was William Holden, who had never caught fire as a leading man, hired to play Joe Gillis after the fastest-rising star in the business dropped out at the last minute? After Mae West and Mary Pickford turned down the now iconic role of Norma Desmond, how did Billy Wilder convince Gloria Swanson, who had long been absent from Hollywood at this point, to leave her low-paying job as a TV talk show host to join the cast? From the writers' room during Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett's final collaboration to the moment when the film won three Academy Awards, scholar and former Rolling Stone staffer David M. Lubin takes readers on a fascinating journey through film history that proves, once and for all, why Sunset Boulevard is one of the most iconic films in cinematic history. Just in time for the film's 75th anniversary, Ready for My Closeup breathes life into a beloved masterpiece of American cinema.
Creed 2026 Wall Calendar
Updating the underdog story of the Rocky franchise for new audiences, Creed(TM) became an instant classic, and its sequels have continued to break box-office records and gain accolades and fans. The Creed(TM) 2026WallCalendar features iconic full-color photos from the award-winning franchise, featuring Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) and others--Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), Amara Creed (Tessa Thompson), Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad), Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors), "Pretty" Ricky Conlan (Anthony Bellew), and more. The Creed(TM) 2026 Wall Calendar features twelve iconic images and scenes that bring the action and drama of the Creed(TM) film franchise to your home or office. A perfect gift for any fan of the movies, boxing, or underdogs triumphing against the odds. Moon phases onus spread for September-December 2025 Generous grids for adding appointments and reminders Includes major official world holidays Opens to 12 inches x 24 inches
Rocky 2026 Wall Calendar
Considered one of the greatest sports feature films of all time, the Rocky 2026 Wall Calendar features iconic full-color photos from the multiple Oscar-winning franchise, including Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and other legendary characters--Adrian (Talia Shire), Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), Clubber Lang (Mr. T), Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), and more. The Rocky 2026 Wall Calendar features twelve iconic images and scenes from the Rocky film franchise, a perfect gift for any movie fan as well as for casual and die-hard sports fans alike. Moon phases Bonus spread for September-December 2025 Generous grids for adding appointments and reminders Includes major official world holidays Opens to 12 inches x 24 inches
Wednesday 2026 Wall Calendar (Includes Stickers)
The official Wednesday 2026 Wall Calendar brings you twelve more months of morose teen Wednesday and fellow outcasts at the whimsical world of Nevermore Academy. Featuring Jenna Ortega as the titular star, the official Wednesday 2026 Wall Calendar brings everyone's favorite sarcastic goth girl along with her friends--and foes--to your home or office, allowing you to continue revisiting the delightful and mysterious world of Nevermore Academy long after you've savored every minute of the hit show! Featuring 12 full color photographs of Wednesday's macabre world Bonus spread for September-December 2025 Generous grids for adding appointments and reminders Includes major official world holidays Includes moon phases Sticker sheet! Opens to 12 inches x 24 inches
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 2026 Wall Calendar
The Emmy-nominated, critically acclaimed series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has taken the universe by storm and won the hearts of Trek fans. This officially licensed calendar features gorgeous photos documenting the adventures of Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and his crew. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds boldly introduces new characters, conflicts, and adventures while still capturing the heart of the iconic Trek universe. The official 2026 wall calendar will feature exciting images from the beloved series.
Star Trek: Cats 2026 Wall Calendar
To boldly go. Persian, Siamese, tabbies--these kitties are headed to the final frontier in the officially licensed Star Trek(TM) Cats 2026 Wall Calendar! Illustrator Jey Parks hilariously repopulates classic episodes from Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation as fabulous felines. Part satirical send-up, part loving homage, the officially licensed Star Trek(TM) Cats 2026 Wall Calendar is total catnip to Star Trek fans! From Captain Kirk sprawling in his captain's chair to Captain Picard encountering the Borg, celebrate iconic moments from Star Trek history as never before. Moon phases Bonus spread for September-December 2025 Generous grids for adding appointments and reminders Includes major official world holidays Humor that's great for home and safe for work Opens to 12 inches x 24 inches
Hamilton 2026 Day-To-Day Calendar
Based on Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway musical, Hamilton 2026 Day-To-Day Calendar is a celebration of the most popular theatrical experience on Broadway With book, music, and lyrics by Tony Award(R)-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical direction and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton is the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation's first Treasury Secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, Hamilton is the story of America then, told by America now. Tear- off pages Day/date reference on each page Major official world holidays as well as important dates for the characters in the musical and any other's regarding the making of America Eco-friendly recyclable easel backing Perfect gift for any musical lover!
McQueen
A full and frank portrait of the complex man behind the icon of cool. Steve McQueen, one of the first 'cool' film stars, remains a cultural icon the world over. His image is used to sell everything from cars, to beer, to a range of dolls. From the Cincinnati Kid to Frank Bullitt, Tom Crown to Papillon, his roles exemplified a certain school of male charm, as well as grit and a hint of menace. McQueen was born in 1930 into a poor Mid-western family to a highly strung mother and truant father. In and out of reform school from a young age, he was eventually made a ward of court and the resulting sense of abandonment never left him. His big break came with the TV Saga Wanted: Dead or Alive and the now cult-classic B-movie The Blob. Just two years later he was one of the leading lights of tinseltown. Sandford goes on to chart McQueen's phenomenal Hollywood career, starring in some of the world's best-loved films, in tandem with his turbulent private life: his marriages, his bisexuality, the drink, the fast cars, casual sex and violence. As a close friend has remarked: 'You couldn't peg him. He wanted to be memorable as an actor - but in his private life you got the impression he was trying to speed up, to get into the next hour without quite living out the last one.' As Sandford reveals, McQueen's public demeanour of studied nonchalance hid chronic self-destrutive urges which emerged in his favourite hobbies, including bare-knuckle boxing and porsche-racing, as well as several suicide attempts. His 'lost' years at the very height of his fame are illuminated with disclosures of rampant addiction, bizarre health cures, fringe religion and androgyny. McQueen died in 1980 at a 'wellness' clinic in New Mexico, having been earlier diagnosed with lung cancer . His last words were 'Lo hice' - Spanish for 'I did it'. Sandford has spoken to a wide range of McQueen's contemporaries - Hollywood stars, friends and family - and discovered the man behind the myth, the abandoned little boy underneath the movie-god swagger.
Chucky 2026 Wall Calendar
Chucky never dies in this 12-month calendar dedicated to the iconic, red-headed, serial killing doll who has frequented nightmares for decades. Wanna play? Showcasing the horror star Chucky and his various serial killing escapades, this tongue-in-cheek calendar is filled with deliciously gory images of the pop culture icon. Join Chucky relaxing by the fire for some Yuletide fear. Head back-to-school with the "Good Guy" who's always up to no good. Celebrate Valentine's Day with Chucky and his equally frightful bride. But just remember, wherever your year takes you, you and Chucky are friends till the end. Based on the series Chucky, which can currently be seen creating mayhem on the SyFy and USA Network and streaming on Peacock. Features include: 12" x 12" (12" x 24" open) Printed on FSC-certified paper with soy-based ink Plastic-free packaging Planning spread for September-December 2025 Spans January-December 2026 Generous grid space for notes, appointments, and reminders Official major world holidays and observances Moon phases, based on Universal Time 13 full-color images showcasing the iconic serial-killing doll, Chucky
Star Trek 2026 Wall Calendar
From the "#1 cult television series of all time" (TV Guide), the officially licensed Star Trek(TM) 2026 Wall Calendar: The Original Series features full-color photos of the entire original bridge crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, including Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), First Officer Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Lieutenant Sulu (George Takei), Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Ensign Chekov (Walter Koenig), and Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott (James Doohan). The officially licensed Star Trek(TM) 2026 Wall Calendar features twelve iconic moments and fan-favorite lines from classic episodes of The Original Series, a perfect gift for casual fans and die-hard Trekkers alike.
Star Wars: I Find Your Lack of Candy Disturbing
May the Force boo with you! This delightful Halloween book collects largely unseen ghoulactically charming artwork inspired by the spooky season. So cute it's scary, this one-of-a-kind Star Wars greeting-card-in-a-book features beloved characters and heartfelt, funny sentiments, puns, jokes, and illustrations celebrating the fun of Halloween and its ever-expanding season. Featuring Darth Vader, Boba Fett, stormtrooper skeletons, a pumpkin BB-8, Han Solo the candy smuggler, disturbingly delicious dark-side chocolates, Grogu in one adorable costume after another, and much more, you'll find no tricks--only treats! It also includes new exclusive art by fan-favorite artist Jeffrey Brown, making this the perfect ghoulish gift for the spookiest of Star Wars fans. (c) & TM 2025 Lucasfilm Ltd. EVERY DAY IS HALLOWEEN: All across the galaxy, the spooky season is celebrated year-round. Bats, boos, and R2-D2's boooooooo-ps will be with you, always. A SWEET-TOOTH GIFT: This cute little book is the perfect fun and funny present for friends and family who playfully favor the dark side. STAR WARS FAN MUST-HAVE: For anyone who collects and covets all things Star Wars, this art-filled book includes exclusive content and a delightful take on the sweet side of the Star Wars universe. Perfect for: Star Wars fans of all ages Readers who enjoy Darth Vader and Son, The Mandalorian and Child, Star Wars: Jedi Academy, and Yoda One for Me Anyone who loves Halloween and celebrating the season
Embracing Disruption
This volume celebrates the centrality of clowning in Shakespeare's conception of theatre and explores how he purposefully invited the clown's anarchic energy into the heart of his dramaturgy.Clowning was a potent but divisive force in the theater of Shakespeare's time, challenging the emerging tyranny of decorum and the developing notion of the authorial voice. As such, the figure of the clown is key to understanding the pervasive tension between existing and emergent forms of Elizabethan theater, and unlocks forgotten levels of meaning in Shakespeare's plays, meanings that were only fully experienced in performance rather than on the page. The great clown Dick Tarleton dominated the London theater of the 1580s and deeply informed Shakespeare's understanding of the anarchic power of performance. By the 1590s, however, the clown's voice was increasingly silenced by emerging theater practice intent on authorial control and Elizabethan codes of decorum. Against the dominant critical tide, Shakespeare continued to embrace clowning and worked closely with Will Kemp - Tarleton's successor as the greatest clown of his age - specifically and deliberately placing him alongside his leading man, Richard Burbage, the originator of the roles of Romeo, Hal, Hamlet and many others. Through an analysis of key scenes in Romeo and Juliet and Henry IV, Embracing Disruption illustrates the enormously generative, unstable, and compelling relationship between these two actors, Burbage and Kemp - the hero and the clown - and how their extraordinary dynamic was experienced on the stage rather than on the page. This hero-clown dynamic continues even after Kemp's departure from Shakespeare's company: Hamlet features the ghosts of Tarleton and Kemp, two clowns deeply informing Burbage's performance as the hero. Then a similar dynamic emerges between Kemp's replacement, a very different clown in Robert Armin playing the Fool opposite Burbage in King Lear. In each instance, the presence of the clown crucially informs the audience's understanding of the hero. Moreover, Shakespeare's increasingly sophisticated deployment of clowning comments on and resists the transformation and gentrification of the theater that defined the Elizabethan era.This study will be of great interest to students and scholars in Performance studies and Shakespeare studies.
