New Francophone African and Caribbean Theatres (African Expressive Cultures)

John Conteh-Morgan explores the multiple ways in which African and Caribbean theatres have combined aesthetic, ceremonial, experimental, and avant-garde practices in order to achieve sharp critiques of the nationalist and postnationalist state and to elucidate the concerns of the francophone world. More recent changes have introduced a transnational dimension, replacing concerns with national and ethnic solidarity in favor of irony and self-reflexivity. New Francophone African and Caribbean Theatres places these theatres at the heart of contemporary debates on global cultural and political practices and offers a more finely tuned understanding of performance in diverse diasporic networks. Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Preface by John Conteh-Morgan and Dominic Thomas......Page 12 Introduction Instrumentalizing Performance and the Francophone Postcolonial Performative......Page 22 One Cultural Trauma and Ritual Re-membering: Werewere Liking’s Les mains veulent dire......Page 81 Two The Dramatist as Epic Performer: Eugène Dervain’s Saran, ou La reine scélérate......Page 96 Three The Power and the Pleasures of Dramatized Narrative: Bernard Zadi Zaourou’s La guerre des femmes......Page 105 Four Theatre as Writing and Voice: Patrick Chamoiseau’s Manman Dlo contre la fée Carabosse......Page 115 Five Tradition Instrumentalized: Elie Stephenson’s O Mayouri......Page 129 Six Militariat Grotesqueries and Tragic Lament: Tchicaya U Tam’si’s Le destin glorieux du Maréchal NnikonNniku, prince qu’on sort and Le bal de Ndinga......Page 137 Seven From the Grotesque to the Fantastic: Sony Labou Tansi’s Qui a mangé Madame d’Avoine Bergotha?......Page 152 Eight Exile and the Failure of the Nation; or, Diasporic Subjectivity from Below: Simone Schwarz-Bart’s Ton beau capitaine......Page 162 Conclusion Francophone Theatres in the Age of Globalization......Page 176 References......Page 198 Index......Page 216 Introduction : Instrumentalizing Performance And The Francophone Postcolonial Performative -- Cultural Trauma And Ritual Re-membering : Werewere Liking's Les Mains Veulent Dire -- The Dramatist As Epic Performer : Eugène Dervain's Saran, Ou La Reine Scélérate -- The Power And The Pleasures Of Dramatized Narrative : Bernard Zadi Zaourou's La Guerre Des Femmes -- Theatre As Writing And Voice : Patrick Chamoiseau's Manman Dlo Contre La Fée Carabosse -- Tradition Instrumentalized : Elie Stephenson's O Mayouri -- Militariat Grotesqueries And Tragic Lament : Tchicaya U Tam'si's Le Destin Glorieux Du Maréchal Nnikon Nniku, Prince Qu'on Sort And Le Bal De Ndinga -- From The Grotesque To The Fantastic : Sony Labou Tansi's Qui A Mangé Madame D'avoine Bergotha? -- Exile And The Failure Of The Nation; Or, Diasporic Subjectivity From Below : Simone Schwarz-bart's Ton Beau Capitaine -- Conclusion : Francophone Theatres In The Age Of Globalization. John Conteh-morgan With Dominic Thomas. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Here, Conteh-Morgan explores the multiple ways in which African and Caribbean theatres have combined aesthetic, ceremonial, experimental, and avant-garde practices in order to achieve sharp critiques of the nationalist and post-nationalist state and to elucidate the concerns of the francophone world Staging a new politics of performance in the African diaspora.