Deriding Postmodernism

…postmodern humour reflects the experience of being 'thrown' into postmodernity. Postmodern humour responds to and references the fears, fixations, frameworks and technologies which underpin our postmodern existence”

Musical Theatre

The Irreverent, Postmodern,

Political Musical

Comedy of Errors

~Lecture Notes

Margaret Thatcher’s take:  LINK
“Monty Python – are you sure he is one of us?” To which her political secretary, replied: “Absolutely, Prime Minister. He is a very good supporter.”

Satirisation & Deconstruction (in) Action

Monty Python’s Flying Circus [1969]: Dead Parrot LINK

“What animal, then? A cat? No, dead kitties are not funny. A mouse? Wouldn’t work: too small, and too vulnerable. Something big? A dog? Could work, but people are fond of dogs. Imagine banging a dead dog against a counter to wake it up—you could get lynched. A parrot . . . ? Yes! Nobody’s going to get upset about the death of a cartoon creature like a parrot—except, perhaps, its owner . . .”

Musical Theatre

The Irreverent, Postmodern,

Political Musical

Comedy of Errors

A Bit Of Fry & Laurie: Concerning Language: LINK
“Here’s a question.  Um.”   ~ Plato deconstructed.

Satirisation & Deconstruction (in) Action

~Lecture Notes

Follow this link; fantastic for further frolicking if tickles your funny femur.

25 most important jokes in post-modern comedy: LINK 

Musical Theatre

The Irreverent, Postmodern,

Political Musical

Case Study: SNL, POlitical Musicals

Negation of meaning"  ~Derrida.  

Discussion of how post-modern comedy has impacted your personal culture.

What points is this sketch trying to highlight?

Musical Theatre

The Irreverent, Postmodern,

Political Musical

The Utility of Irreverence

Irreverence is the champion of liberty and its only sure defense." ~Mark Twain

 

Musical Theatre

 I.P.P

Advertising

If you want harness the power of irreverence here are some guidelines:​

• Think like a jester of old or cartoonists today. Communicating something meaningful and disruptive or paradigm shifting. But encased in a piquant coating of humour it can be engaging and motivating — irresistible.
• Irreverence needs to be intelligent. It needs to challenge a folly, a fad, a superstition, an ingrained belief, a habit or tendency or some entrenched behaviour that has become irrelevant. It should show people the ludicrousness of it in a charming and engaging manner.
• It must diminish the behaviour, attitude, activity, etc., but not the person.
• Better not to walk into the minefield of socio-cultural irreverence. It often seeks to carve stereotypes out of different communities and people. It could lead to brand suicide.
• Effective irreverence needs a finger on the pulse of what is absurd but accepted. Authenticity, insight and topicality are the critical fuel for irreverence. It provides the richest vein of irreverence-worthy material

So what does Book of Mormon advertising hit on? LINK & LINK

Corporate Lensmaking

Musical Theatre

The Irreverent, Postmodern,

Political Musical

Quality Teaching

~Lecture Notes

"It is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but to question it." ~Jacob Bronowski

 

Treatise on Irreverance 

 ~ Paraphrased from Kroth’s Essay

~Lecture Notes

[Nothing inherently wrong with rules, we need 'em to live together as a society. But some rules are just there to keep people in their lanes, to enforce conformity. These are worth questioning, sometimes testing, right?]

Musical Theatre

The Irreverent, Postmodern,

Political Musical

Case Study: My Left Right Foot 

[Irreverence  - Disability]

 

A play about a play, My Left/Right Foot – The Musical, is set in the imaginary rehearsal space of a small town amateur dramatic society, and follows the mishaps of a well-meaning drama group as they draw “conclusion from inclusion.”  
Broadway World – Best New Musical 2018

Enjoy the trailer:

Musical Theatre

The Irreverent, Postmodern,

Political Musical

MY LEFT RIGHT FOOT the musical 2019

Spazzle & dazzle

Filthy and shocking, but also downright side-splitting, musical and lyrical masterminds, composer Claire McKenzie and lyricist Scott Gilmour of Noise Maker, create a musical score which complements the show’s satirical nature. Catchy, yet highly un-PC numbers like “Dazzling Cripple” and “Spasticity” linger in your head long after you’ve left your seat, which is again perhaps the point  - The Sunday Post

COVERAGE: LINK & LINK

Musical Theatre

The Irreverent, Postmodern,

Political Musical

 Direct Politics

To have an 'Ideology'

What does ideology mean?

Memetic culture / pathology /  emotional interest.

~Lecture Notes

Musical Theatre

The Irreverent, Postmodern,

Political Musical

Hadestown - Orpheus & Eurydice

Two sides to the wall...

The following two videos highlight a confirmation bias that society,

individuals and culture has to account for.  Resonance of the times vs author intent. 

LINK & LINK

• Hadestown - Radical, Prophetic Politics?  - LINK & LINK & LINK

[Discuss] Interpretation fallacy.  The author is dead.

What do politics or political statements mean to you?

Musical Theatre

The Irreverent, Postmodern,

Political Musical

The Case for the ContrariaN

A shocking crime divides the nation. Fingers are pointed, sides are drawn, facts are hard to come by. Why did this happen? How do we move on? What must we remember?

It’s easy to have an opinion online, safe behind the anonymity of a keyboard, just like, share and subscribe. But as the digital mob polish their pitchforks, the world starts to question just how free should free speech be?

Trailer follows:

As a rule I don’t like upsetting people – this is as much cowardice as it is nobility, but I’ve never relished the prospect of ruffling feathers. It therefore feels very strange to have written a show that no one seems capable of mentioning without using the word “controversial”. I’m not a controversialist by nature – it makes me feel itchy – yet here we are.

 

Musical Theatre

The Irreverent, Postmodern,

Political Musical

The Assassination of Katie Hopkins 2018

So, what is The Assassination of Katie Hopkins? A sick, leftist fantasy? An act of professional trolling? A criminal offence? I sincerely believe it isn’t any of these things, but an exploration of the place someone like Katie Hopkins occupies in our collective psyche, and a look at what might fill the vacuum should she suddenly vanish.

I take no pleasure in imagining her death, but by delving into its potential ramifications, Matt Winkworth and I hope to shine a light on some of the uglier areas of our national discourse. Oh, and it’s a musical too, and we certainly intend to make you laugh, but not exclusively at her expense.

Hopkins was the catalyst for our story. This is primarily because of the strength of feeling she provokes, both positive and negative – she is a potent emblem of our divided times. ~ Chris Bush [Book]

“The most seriously original, abrasive & audacious new British musical of the year”
— MARK SHENTON

Musical Theatre

The Irreverent, Postmodern,

Political Musical

What do you NOw know about these Following terms?

Postmodernism

Irreverence

Politics

~ Other Relevant Musicals [not perfectly categorised]:

• Concept: Assassins, Hair, Pacific Overtures, Avenue Q
• Irreverent: Book Of Mormon, Jerry Springer The Opera, Urinetown, Spamalot, Clinton, Cabaret, Chicago
• Political: 1776, Evita, Les Mis, Chess, Miss Saigon, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Hamilton

The last video of this lecture shines a ray of light on your power as performers and producers of future theatre.  Take it with a grain of salt, remember the deconstructed natures of our current society; see if you can go and make good.  Why not at least try?..