Title
Serious play [electronic resource] : modern clown performance / Louise Peacock.
ISBN
9781841503301 (electronic book)
1841503304 (electronic book)
9781841502410
1841502413
Imprint
Bristol, UK ; Chicago : Intellect, 2009.
Language
English
Description
1 online resource (183 p.) : ill.
Call Number
GV1828 .P43 2009eb
Dewey Decimal Classification
791.3
Summary
"Clowns' slapstick is their primary mode of performance and allows them to provoke audiences to laughter wherever they perform. This innovative book, focussing on contemporary practice in the USA and Europe over the last 50 years, investigates the nature and function of clown performance in modern society. Through analysis of clowning in a range of settings - theatre, the circus, hospitals, refugee camps and churches - Peacock establishes a theoretical framework for the evaluation of physical comedy. Peacock explores clowning that takes place outside of conventional venues, and also the therapeutic potential of clowning in clown doctor organisations, refugee camps and war zones. Serious Play: Modern Clown Performance is the first book of its kind to consider clowning performance venues and performance styles in the light of Play Theory, including comparisons of traditional clown comedy with contemporary circuses such as Circus OZ and Cirque du Soleil, and an in-depth look at famous clowns such as Nola Rae and Slava Polunin"--Provided by publisher.
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Access Note
Access limited to authorized users.
Source of Description
Description based on print version record.
Introduction: Play, Serious and Frivolous
Chapter 1. Clowns and Clown Play
Chapter 2. The Development of the Circus Clown: Frame and Content
Chapter 3. Clowns on Stage
Chapter 4. Clowns who Act: Actors who Clown
Chapter 5. The Truth Tellers: Clowns in Religion and Politics
Chapter 6. Clown Healers
Conclusion: The Centrality of Play in Clowning
Clown Index
References
Index.
