Projections of Race at the Nouveau Cirque: The Clown Acts of Foottit and Chocolat
Affiliation of Author, Researcher, or Creator
School of the Arts
Department
Visual and Media Arts
Author(s)
Matthew McMahan
Resource Type
Article
Publication, Publisher or Distributor
Theatre History Studies
Publication Date
1-1-2020
Brief Description
The essay reveals through an analysis of the famous Parisian circus clown, Chocolat, how the performer may find moments of adaptation, innovation, and subversion within the confines of comic and racialized stereotypes. Amid the commodification of his race, through moments of irony, deceit, and insubordination, he also created opportunities that undermined the black/white dichotomy within the clown/auguste paradigm.
Keywords
Circus, Clown, Race, Comedy, Stereotypes, Paris, France
Preferred Citation Style
Chicago Manual
COinS