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Women's Comedic Art as Social Revolution

Five Performers and the Lessons of Their Subversive Humor

Domnica Radulescu author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:McFarland & Co Inc

Published:26th Dec '11

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Women's Comedic Art as Social Revolution cover

Though comic women have existed since the days of Baubo, the mythic figure of sexual humor, they have been neglected by scholars and critics. This pioneering volume tells the stories of five women who have created revolutionary forms of comic performance and discourse that defy prejudice. The artists include 16th-century performer Isabella Andreini, 17th-century improviser Caterina Biancolelli, 20th-century Italian playwright Franca Rame, and contemporary performance artists Deb Margolin and Kimberly Dark. All create humor that subverts patriarchal attitudes, conventional gender roles, and stereotypical images. The book ends with a practical guide for performers and teachers of theater.

“detailed study of the historical and practical ways in which women’s humor serves as social commentary. Recommended”—Choice; “Never before has the history of Western women in comedy been written with such historical scope or comparative detail. Radulescu brings the astute eye of the theatre historian to a socially committed feminist inquiry into women’s humor, creating a study useful for scholars and practitioners, teachers and students.”—Jill Dolan, Princeton University.

ISBN: 9780786460724

Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 14mm

Weight: 363g

267 pages