ENGLISH

Festive Revolutions: The Politics of Popular Theater and the San Francisco Mime Troupe

By Claudia Orenstein

Book information

Publisher
University Press of Mississippi
Year
1999
ISBN
1578060796, 9781578060795, 9780585031859
LCC
PN3305 .O74 1998
Open Library ID
OL367867M
Language
english
Format
EPUB
Filesize
1 MB (1126776 bytes)
Pages
\0
Time added
2011-08-31 04:54:40

Description

Are traditions of popular theatre still alive in politically-engaged theatre to-day? In San Francisco they are. The San Francisco Mime Troupe is a modern link in the long history of public performances that have a merry air but have a voice of political protest and social comment. Every summer since 1962 the Troupe has taken free outdoor performances to public parks in the Bay Area. In a style that is festive and a spirit that is revolutionary the Mime Troupe has relied on popular theatre forms to address timely political and social issues. Their productions maintain a contemporary political edge, while showing their origins to be the popular traditions of the commedia dell'arte, circus clowning, vaudeville, puppetry, and minstrel shows. With The Minstrel Show or Civil Rights in a Cracker Barrel (1965) they expressed support of the civil rights movement. With L'Amant Militaire (1967) they voiced support of Vietnam War protests. To discover what makes these apparently frivolous theatrical traditions effective for contemporary political theatre, Festive Revolutions explores the historical origins of the popular forms the Mime Troupe draws on. In old Europe, where performance traditions began, political turmoil blended with festive celebration. The lineage of the Mime Troupe's Punch the Red can be traced back to the Italian puppet figure Pulcinella through its English and Russian counterparts Punch and Petrushka. In the Mime Troupe the use of stereotypes and reliance upon colorful festivity are diverse strategies for dodging censorship. Productions like Ripped Van Winkle continue today to rekindle the radicalism the Troupe inherited from the culture of the 1960s. Festive Revolutions shows that such forms have inspired political theatre for centuries. Claudia Orenstein is an assistant professor of theatre at Barnard College. Festive Revolutions is her first book.

Similar books

The arraignment and tryall with a declaration of the Ranters also, several sentences proceedings at the sessions in the Old-Baily, and Councel of War: their protestations and the hanging of one up by the thumbs; with divers penalties to be inflicted upon others. The dancing and revelling of Dr. Buckeridge and his wife, and other gent. dancing all in white, in Berkshire, and their Christmas carol. A dispute between a Ranter in Bridewel, and one that came to see him; with his creed and pater noster: and the names of the false gods they worship. As also, a list of many of the Ranters, from whence they are derived: and of many hundreds of them in England

The arraignment and tryall with a declaration of the Ranters also, several sentences proceedings at the sessions in the Old-Baily, and Councel of War: their protestations and the hanging of one up by the thumbs; with divers penalties to be inflicted upon others. The dancing and revelling of Dr. Buckeridge and his wife, and other gent. dancing all in white, in Berkshire, and their Christmas carol. A dispute between a Ranter in Bridewel, and one that came to see him; with his creed and pater noster: and the names of the false gods they worship. As also, a list of many of the Ranters, from whence they are derived: and of many hundreds of them in England

2019 · EPUB

The discoverer; vvherein is set forth (to undeceive the nation) the reall plots and stratagems of Lievt. Col. John Lilburn, Mr. William Walwyn, Mr. Thomas Prince, Mr. Richard Overton, and that partie ... Namely, under the pretence and colour of libertie ... a most dangerous and destructive designe is carried on to deprive the nation of their religion, rights, liberties, proprieties, lawes, government, &c. and to bring a totall and universall ruine upon the land. And so much is here clearely proved. The first part

The discoverer; vvherein is set forth (to undeceive the nation) the reall plots and stratagems of Lievt. Col. John Lilburn, Mr. William Walwyn, Mr. Thomas Prince, Mr. Richard Overton, and that partie ... Namely, under the pretence and colour of libertie ... a most dangerous and destructive designe is carried on to deprive the nation of their religion, rights, liberties, proprieties, lawes, government, &c. and to bring a totall and universall ruine upon the land. And so much is here clearely proved. The first part

2019 · EPUB

An act to impower Sir John Molesworth: Baronet, and Joseph Moyle, Esquire, Two of the surviving Trustees, in an Indenture, dated the Twenty-Fifth Day of December One thousand Seven hundred and Forty-Three, to raise the several Sums in the said Indenture mentioned, or such of them as are still unsatisfied, and pay the same, as well as the rest of the personal Estate of Hugh Gregor, deceased, to such Person as Jane Gregor, an Infant, shall marry during her Infancy, with the Consent of the surviving Trustees, and of her Guardians

An act to impower Sir John Molesworth: Baronet, and Joseph Moyle, Esquire, Two of the surviving Trustees, in an Indenture, dated the Twenty-Fifth Day of December One thousand Seven hundred and Forty-Three, to raise the several Sums in the said Indenture mentioned, or such of them as are still unsatisfied, and pay the same, as well as the rest of the personal Estate of Hugh Gregor, deceased, to such Person as Jane Gregor, an Infant, shall marry during her Infancy, with the Consent of the surviving Trustees, and of her Guardians

EPUB