| Abstrakt: |
AbstractThis article is concerned with the relative scarcity of women stand-up comedians in post—1994South Africa. It examines the reasons for this, with specific reference to women's power and the body. It questions the dominant white male discourse that operates within stand-up comedy in South Africa whilst emphasising the need for alternative discourses to be voiced. The article focuses on gender and the French historian and philosopher Michel Foucault's theories of resistance are employed to reveal how women in stand-up comedy might challenge and subvert patriarchy. Furthermore, French feminist Luce Irigaray's appropriation of Jacques Lacan's theories of language is utilised to show how women comedians can use their discursive ability to express themselves on stage and, in so doing, offer alternative subjectivities and promote freedom of comedic expression. |
