Alternative Comedy Now and Then: Critical Perspectives

Description

Alternative Comedy Now and Then: Critical Perspectives is the first academic collection focusing on the history and legacy of the alternative comedy movement in Britain that began in 1979 and continues to influence contemporary stand-up comedy. The collection examines the contexts, performances and reception of alternative comedy in order to provide a holistic approach to examining the socio-political impact and significance of alternative comedy from its historical roots through to present day performances. As alternative comedy celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2019, critically reflecting on its impact and significance is a timely endeavour. The book adopts a distinctive interdisciplinary approach, synthesizing theory, concepts and methodologies from comedy studies, theatre and performance, communication and media studies, sociology, political sciences and anthropology. This approach is taken in order to fully understand and examine the dynamics and nuances of the alternative comedy movement which would not be possible with a single-discipline approach.  Acknowledgements Contents Notes on Contributors List of Figures List of Tables Chapter 1: Alternative Comedy Now and Then: An Introduction ‘We were mixing everything up’ ‘Something other than straight stand-up’ Outline of the Book References Chapter 2: Alternative Comedy Timeline References Part I: Alternative Comedy Venues Chapter 3: The Meccano Club: The Business of Alternative Comedy Introduction ‘Minimal Lighting. PA. No Piano.’ ‘Such a Low Ceiling’ ‘Such a Champion of Alternative Comedy’ ‘A Self-Portrait of the Promoter’ ‘Everyone Got the Same’ Conclusion References Chapter 4: ‘A Local Show for Local People’: Alternative Cabaret at the Tower Arts Centre, Winchester, UK, 1981–1984 Introduction Attempt at a Genealogy Performance Archaeology 1, ‘Blank Verse for Blank Minds’ Local Antecedents: A Prehistory The Tower And Now, What You’ve All Been Waiting for, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Acts Performance Archaeology 2: ‘Life’ Return to Space Reflecting: Backwards and Forwards Before You Leave References Chapter 5: The Story of Cabaret A Go Go Introduction Poster Method and Technique The Influence of CAST/New Variety The Live Theatre and Newcastle Arts Centre Newcastle Arts Centre Postscript References Part II: Performers’ Perspectives Chapter 6: Trends with Benefits Put Your Hands Together for the Opening Act—Introducing the Artistic and Socio-political Contexts 1983–1992 First Dates 1983–1984 A Gig Is a Gig, Even When It’s Unpaid—Impact of the Miner’s Strike 1984–1985 From the Local to the Empire—Comedy Moves to Bigger Venues 1985–1990 The Fault Is in the Stars—1990 Onwards Party Time—Red Wedge and the 1987 Election Campaign Show, Don’t Tell—Snapshot of a Fundraiser April 1990 References Chapter 7: Alternative Cabaret in Conversation References Part III: Interpreting Alternative Comedy Chapter 8: Pressing for No Change? Political Correctness, the Defence of the ‘mainstream’ and Class in UK Newspaper Responses to the Emergence of ‘Alternative Comedy’ Introduction Key Findings of Quantitative Analysis of the UK Press What Does Alternative Comedy Mean? Is Alternative Comedy Funny? Emergence of Press Accounts of Alternative Comedy as Negatively Conceived ‘Political Correctness’ Conclusion References Chapter 9: The Dramatic Script of Alternative Comedy Introduction The Year Was 1988 Our Jaded Militants The Politics of Antagonism The Politics of Affirmation Conclusion References Part IV: Alternative Comedy Today Chapter 10: Alternative Comedy in Finland: Juhani Nevalainen, Musician Not Comedian Introduction Juhani Nevalainen, Musician Not Comedian Invention, Convention and Things That Don’t Belong Framing the Relation Between Spectator and Performer Conclusions: Nevalainen as Comedy, Anticomedy and Metacomedy References Chapter 11: ‘Less Dick Jokes’: Women-Only Comedy Line-Ups, Audience Expectations and Negotiating Stereotypes Introduction Data Collection Methods Where have Women-Only Comedy Nights Come from and What Were They Set Up to Achieve? How Women Comics Understand Women-Only Comedy Nights as Alternative How Audiences Understand Women-Only Comedy Spaces as Alternative Concluding Thoughts References Chapter 12: New Alternative Comedy: Productive Crises c.2005–Present Introduction Crisis of Creativity and Commercialisation Performance-Based Response Functions and Effects A Crisis of Representation Negotiating the Crisis of Representation: FOC It Up Comedy Club Conclusion References Index