"We Must Continue to Make a Show of Ourselves": Queer Mythologies in the Oeuvre of Phillip McMahon

Keywords

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Issue Date

2023-03-15

Language

en

Document type

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Title

ISSN

Volume

Issue

Startpage

Endpage

DOI

Abstract

Queerness denotes a fluid resistance to social norms, enabling critical reflection on what normativity entails in the first place. Consequently, queer narratives have an inherent political power to push for progressive social change. Theatre scholar Shonagh Hill notes how especially theatre and performance are powerful tools in this process, especially in Ireland, where the mythological still underlies many cultural expressions. Her theory on the power of embodied female mythmaking on the stage can also be applied to queer studies and queer theatre. This thesis will explore the construction of queer mythologies in the theatre of contemporary Irish playwright Phillip McMahon, since his productions frequently focus on queer themes and characters. This thesis will then also explore how these constructed queer mythologies, both myths of people and myths of place, influence and aid queer community and identity formation in Ireland.

Description

Citation

Faculty

Faculteit der Letteren

Specialisation