Theatre of the Ridiculous

Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998. xviii, 188 pages, [17] pages of plates, illustrations; 22 cm. Tight, clean copy. "What is Ridiculous? Here's one way to describe it: an anarchic undermining of political, sexual, psychological, and cultural categories, frequently in dramatic structures that parody classical literary forms or re-function American popular entertainments, and always allude to themselves as 'performances.' . . . It is comedy beyond the absurd because it is less intellectual, more earthy, primal, liberated. Not tragi-comedy but metaphysical burlesque, the Ridiculous offers a new version of the 'clown.' Its dependency on the icons, artifacts, and entertainments of mass culture in America -- the 'stars,' old movies, popular songs, television, and advertising -- make the Ridiculous a truly indigenous American approach to making theatre." -- Bonnie Marranca, from Theatre of the Ridiculous. As a theatrical form, the 'ridiculous' thrived in the 1970s and early 1980s, playfully subverting dramatic and social convention in its mix of camp, role-playing, literary and filmic allusions -- and anticipating the current interest in gender, cross-dressing, and popular culture. Originally published in 1979, Theatre of the Ridiculous was the first book to document this innovative and challenging work -- and the first of PAJ Publications' acclaimed books on avant garde drama. This revised and expanded edition retains seminal works by Ronald Tavel, Charles Ludlam, and Kenneth Bernard and adds essays and interview material on each of these playwrights. Also new to the edition is Rehearsal for the Destruction of Atlantis by Jack Smith, one of the major figures in the American avant garde, and an essay by J. Hoberman on Smith's work. / Bonnie Marranca and Gautam Dasgupta are the co-founders and editors of Performing Arts Journal/PAJ Publications." - Publisher. CONTENTS: Preface to the 1998 edition; Introduction to the 1979 edition; The theatre of Jack Smith, by J. Hoberman; Rehearsal for the destruction of Atlantis, by Jack Smith; The plays of Ronald Tavel, by Bonnie Marranca; The life of Lady Godiva, by Ronald Tavel; Theatre and the ridiculous: a conversation with Charles Ludlum, by Gautam Dasgupta; Stage blood, by Charles Ludlam; Kenneth Bernard and John Vaccaro: a collaboration, by Gerald Rabkin; The magic show of Dr. Ma-Gico, by Kenneth Bernard.. 2nd. Paperback. Fine. 8vo.