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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Main Author: Julien Alliot
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Presses Universitaires de la Méditerranée 2016-04-01
Series:Études Britanniques Contemporaines
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journals.openedition.org/ebc/3144
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author Julien Alliot
author_facet Julien Alliot
author_sort Julien Alliot
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description 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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spelling doaj.art-72aacf0275174602ac37f16844faf16a2022-12-22T01:33:46ZengPresses Universitaires de la MéditerranéeÉtudes Britanniques Contemporaines1168-49172271-54442016-04-015010.4000/ebc.3144Party politics in In The Republic of Happiness : s’engager dans l’AutreJulien AlliotCritics 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.http://journals.openedition.org/ebc/3144Martin CrimpJacques Lacancontemporary dramapsychoanalysisOtherpolitics
spellingShingle Julien Alliot
Party politics in In The Republic of Happiness : s’engager dans l’Autre
Études Britanniques Contemporaines
Martin Crimp
Jacques Lacan
contemporary drama
psychoanalysis
Other
politics
title Party politics in In The Republic of Happiness : s’engager dans l’Autre
title_full Party politics in In The Republic of Happiness : s’engager dans l’Autre
title_fullStr Party politics in In The Republic of Happiness : s’engager dans l’Autre
title_full_unstemmed Party politics in In The Republic of Happiness : s’engager dans l’Autre
title_short Party politics in In The Republic of Happiness : s’engager dans l’Autre
title_sort party politics in in the republic of happiness s engager dans l autre
topic Martin Crimp
Jacques Lacan
contemporary drama
psychoanalysis
Other
politics
url http://journals.openedition.org/ebc/3144
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