Obscene Humour and Political Satire in Shadow Theatre

This book delves into the fascinating interplay of bawdy humour and political satire, two core elements of shadow theatre across diverse cultural and historical contexts.

Through eight meticulously researched articles, the book explores the evolution and significance of bawdy humour and political satire in shadow theatre traditions from various regions. It examines the ritualistic obscene humour in the Chinese tradition of "Shadow Plays After Midnight," the blend of political satire and obscenity in Ibn Danyal's plays reflecting Cairo's vibrant environment, and the political and bawdy humour in Ottoman Karagöz plays transitioning into the Republic era. The book also investigates the decline of obscene humour in Karagiozis as it adapted to the cultural shifts of the newly established Greek state, the remnants of bawdy humour in reformed Karagöz and Karagiozis, and the revival of political shadow plays inspired by Karagiozis in contemporary Slovenia. By offering a spatial and temporal comparison, these articles provide a conceptual framework for understanding the role of humour and satire in shadow theatre and their broader implications for theatre history and gender studies.

This book is an essential resource for scholars and students of theatre history, cultural studies, gender studies, and anyone interested in the rich traditions of shadow theatre and its enduring socio-political relevance.

Peri Efe completed her PhD in the Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies at the University of Vienna. Her publications include a compilation, a transcription, dossiers, articles and translations relating to her main areas of research: shadow theatre in Greece and the Ottoman Empire/Turkey, Turkish literature written in the Greek alphabet, and the cultural activities of the Phanariot elite.