GROTESQUE INVERSIONS On Stage, In Film

216 Pages·2012·4.95 MB·English

by  Windows 7

http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/

Research Commons at the University of Waikato

Copyright Statement:
The digital copy of this thesis is protected by the Copyright Act 1994 (New Zealand).
The thesis may be consulted by you, provided you comply with the provisions of the
Act and the following conditions of use:
 Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private
study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person.
 Authors control the copyright of their thesis. You will recognise the author’s right
to be identified as the author of the thesis, and due acknowledgement will be
made to the author where appropriate.
 You will obtain the author’s permission before publishing any material from the
thesis.
GROTESQUE INVERSIONS
On Stage, In Film:
HORRID YET CURIOUS,

FASCINATING YET ALARMING

A thesis

submitted in fulfilment

of the requirements for the degree

of

Master of Arts

at

The University of Waikato

by

DELWYN DELLOW

2012
ii
Abstract

Grotesque theatre is not a genre but a style of theatre made up of many strands
which has been employed over many centuries beginning in Ancient Greece, particularly
with Aristophanes and moving through time to the present. François Rabelais
recognised the grotesque in Church Feasts, Festivals, Guild performances, sotties and
farces. This thesis investigates through theatre and film the seven strands Bakhtin
identifies: grotesque image, abusive language, grotesque madness, scatalogical
humour, light, reversals and the lower bodily stratum (1984, pp. 24-41). In particular
the thesis traces inversions in both theatre and film. These two mediums have been
selected to compare and contrast the use of the grotesque in each, as they share two
strong commonalities in acting and the requirement of scripts.

Each chapter of this thesis deals with a script, and the last two chapters
incorporate the use of a movie for contrast. The Introduction introduces the grotesque,
offering an explanation of the styles of the grotesque as defined by Mikhail Bakhtin and
Philip Thomson. Examples are shown in pictures. Chapter one explores two plays
written by Eugene Ionesco: Amedée or How to Get Rid of It, and Rhinoceros. Chapter
two moves back through time to Aristophanes' Lysistrata and explores the power
women's bodies might have when men are in need. The third chapter investigates The
Roaring Girl, written by Middleton and Dekker. This delves into the life of the character
Moll Cutpurse and shows why Moll chose to dress as a man. Chapters four and five deal
with the fantasy and the gothic elements in Frankenstein and Dracula respectively:
focusing on bodily transformations; as well as the treatment of the monster and Dracula
by society, and their treatment in turn of society.
iii
The grotesque is an intriguing style of theatre because it deals essentially with
human nature and the human body in its imperfect and ever-changing form. The
grotesque therefore lends itself to horror, comedy and exaggeration making it a style
which does not have to be limited by strict parameters. The grotesque can be
successfully woven into other genres such as the gothic or the absurd giving it even
greater dimensions in storytelling, staging and special effects. Human beings are often
torn between the gory or visually disturbing whilst needing the safety of the normal and
acceptable. The grotesque offers both, which can make a scintillating piece of
entertainment by fulfilling our needs at both ends of the emotional spectrum.
Grotesque theatre therefore by its very nature is a style which will continue to exist so
long as it keeps its patrons in suspense.
iv
Acknowledgements

The words "Dellie, you are a closer" spoken by Dr. Mark Houlahan my Chief
Supervisor, I have clung to throughout my two years writing journey while working
fulltime and during periods when the task seemed endless and my energies were low.
Mark has been an incredible guide who has a depth of knowledge of which I can only
listen to with amazement. I shall always value and be appreciative of his energy, his
time, his advice, his correction and his compass which always pointed me in the right
direction for writing and resources which Mark has always offered me without
hesitation.

Roy, my partner and quiet mentor upon whom I became reliant to ensure our
home remained liveable, who fed me and was a firm and encouraging shoulder upon
which I could lean. It is Roy's kindness and good grace which have allowed me to write
this thesis.

Dr. Fiona Martin and Dr. Kirstine Moffat, both are dear friends with such
wonderful generosities of spirit who have volunteered to read and re-read my work
offering salient and well-grounded suggestions. Proof-reading is never an easy task as it
requires great patience and large slices of uninterrupted time, all of which my dear
friends have given me without setting parameters.

Mr Gerald Scarfe, CBE who most generously allowed me to use three of his
satirical cartoons Fouling Britain, Nixon Flag and Hell. Mr Scarfe has worked with
prestigious magazines including Punch and Private Eye and newspapers such as the
London Sunday Times (44 years) and the magazine The New Yorker (21 years) as their
v
political cartoonist. Mr Scarfe's extraordinarily ability does not stop with printed media
alone. Collaborations have included the Los Angeles Opera, English National Opera at
the London Coliseum as well as the English National Ballet designing set and costumes
for many of their shows as well as other plays, operas and musicals worldwide including
New Zealand. For full details regarding Mr Scarfe and his work please go to:
http://www.geraldscarfe.com/about-gerald-scarfe/.

Mr Simon Annand, has generously allowed the reproduction of his picture of
Benedict Cumberbatch being made up backstage as Frankenstein's Creature with latex
prosthetics.

It is Dr Sarah Shieff who, during her lectures about gothic texts, piqued my
interest and desire to embark on a voyage of discovery into how the gothic may be
played out on stage. It is Dr William Farrimond who informed me of a style of theatre
named the 'grotesque' which allowed me to follow my desire for the pursuit of further
knowledge turning it into reality. My sincere thanks to you both.

Professor Daniel Zirker, I began working for as his PA, engaged with my interest
in the grotesque and found me DVDs and books from overseas which assisted me in
understanding how the grotesque touches all cultures with all the strands I have
become familiar with. Thank you Professor for your encouragement, your enthusiasm
for my study and for sourcing such wonderful additional information for me. I am most
grateful.

This thesis would never have become a reality if it had not been for the
generosity of the Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship. The late Sir Edmund I understand was
vi
not one to settle for goals which he thought he could achieve, he settled for goals which
pushed him further than he ever dreamed possible making him the success he shall
always be remembered as. This idea I too embraced. This thesis is the product of a goal
which I never thought I would be able to accomplish, but it is with the help of wonderful
scholars, family and friends that I have been able to reach my goal.

My sincerest thanks to you all.
vii
Table of Contents

Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ii
Acknowledgements ...........................................................................................................iv
Illustrative Plates .............................................................................................................. ix
Introduction: ...................................................................................................................... 1
Everything You Wanted to Know About the Grotesque But Were Too Afraid to Ask
........................................................................................................................................ 1
Chapter 1: ......................................................................................................................... 31
The Changing Human Form ........................................................................................ 31
Amédée or How to Get Rid of It ................................................................................ 32
Rhinoceros ................................................................................................................ 39
Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 50
Chapter 2: ......................................................................................................................... 52
"No, You Can't Always Get What You Want" ............................................................. 52
Lower Bodily Stratum ................................................................................................ 53
Inversions of Power .................................................................................................. 64
Disharmony ............................................................................................................... 66
Abusive Language ..................................................................................................... 67
Bodily Degradation.................................................................................................... 68
Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 68
Chapter 3: ......................................................................................................................... 71
"Everything Is Not What It Seems": Moll Cutpurse, the monster dressed for
success .......................................................................................................................... 71
Damned to Wear the Robes of Men ......................................................................... 75
Out of the Mouth of a Woman ................................................................................. 87
Physicality ................................................................................................................. 89
Independent through Marriage, Dress and Money .................................................. 91
Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 96
Chapter 4: ......................................................................................................................... 99
Out in the limen ........................................................................................................... 99
Birth, Violence and Rejection .................................................................................. 100
Violence and Retribution ........................................................................................ 107
Costuming and Makeup .......................................................................................... 126
viii
Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 134
Chapter 5: ....................................................................................................................... 137
Dracula - the threat within and the threat without .................................................... 137
Inversions of Christianity ........................................................................................ 139
Transformation ....................................................................................................... 149
Bloody Penetration ................................................................................................. 154
Cultural Inversions .................................................................................................. 166
Staging Dracula ....................................................................................................... 169
Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 183
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 185
ix
Illustrative Plates

Plate 1: Close up view of gargoyle creature in Pena Palace on Lisbon, Portugal ............. x
Plate 2: Mars and Venus ................................................................................................... 6
Plate 3: Plate 3 Hieronymous Bosch:
Triptych of Garden of Earthly Delights (Right Panel) c1500 ............................................. 13
Plate 4, Hieronymus Bosch: The Last Judgement (5) ....................................................... 17
Plate 5 Pieter Brueghel: The Triumph of Death c. 1562 ................................................. 18
Plate 6: Gerald Scarfe: Fouling Britain ............................................................................ 27
Plate 7: Gerald Scarfe: Nixon-flag ................................................................................... 27
Plate 8: Gerald Scarfe: Hell .............................................................................................. 28
Plate 9: KD-292 Middleton, Thomas. The Roaring Girle ..., 1611 [title page] ................. 81
Plate 10: [Moll Cutpurse] ................................................................................................. 86
Plate 11: Boris Karloff as the Frankenstein .................................................................... 132
Plate 12: Drawing of actor T.P. Cooke ........................................................................... 132
Plate 13: Boris Karloff as the Frankenstein monster ..................................................... 132
Plate 14: Benedict Cumberbatch as the Creature in Frankenstein ................................ 133
Plate 15: Benedict Cumberbatch as the Creature in Frankenstein ................................ 133
Plate 16: Benedict Cumberbatch as the Creature in Frankenstein ................................ 133
Plate 17: Vlad III. of Wallachia. Known as Vlad Tepes - The Impaler of Dracula. .......... 140
Plate 18: Nosferatu: Symphony of Horrors, (1922) ...................................................... 178
Plate 19: Figure 3 Nosferatu: Symphony of Horrors (1922).......................................... 178
Plate 20: Nosteratu: Symphony of Horrors (1922) ....................................................... 179
Plate 21: Nosferatu: Symphony of Horrors (1922) ....................................................... 179
Plate 22: Dracula (1992). Directed by Francis Ford Coppola ......................................... 180
Plate 23: Note the bat has a similar form to a human being when its body is
outstretched ................................................................................................................... 181

Background wallpaper behind all Plates: canstockphoto file # csp8884907 wallpaper.
Lincense # 1661416. Retrieved from http://www.canstockphoto.com.