Party politics in In The Republic of Happiness : s’engager dans l’Autre
Critics have offered a variety of political readings of Martin Crimp’s plays. If the dramatist does consider himself a satirist, characterising the political discourse at play in his works can become somewhat of a challenge. Indeed, Crimpian satire proves radical and all destructive. When they stage...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Presses Universitaires de la Méditerranée
2016-04-01
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| Series: | Études Britanniques Contemporaines |
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| Online Access: | http://journals.openedition.org/ebc/3144 |
| Summary: | Critics have offered a variety of political readings of Martin Crimp’s plays. If the dramatist does consider himself a satirist, characterising the political discourse at play in his works can become somewhat of a challenge. Indeed, Crimpian satire proves radical and all destructive. When they staged In the Republic of Happiness (2012) at the Théâtre National de Chaillot in 2014, Marcial di Fonzo Bo and Élise Vigier captured the dramatist’s disenchantment. The opening festive scene, in which a typical family celebrates Christmas together, resonates with Crimpland’s characteristic subversion. As the party is in full swing, traditions are questioned, totems are challenged and taboos are lifted. Such confusion allows for a remapping of political discourse. The audience is led to (re?)discover that value systems or the mastery of discourse are but secondary compared to nonsense, ambiguity, and what is at stake on the Other Scene. The spectators can then engage in an exploration of the Other. |
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| ISSN: | 1168-4917 2271-5444 |