THEA 10.40 Madness Onstage and Across Media

This course explores the history of representing “madness” on the stage and across media with a special focus on evolving techniques for performing female mental distress. We will look at patterns in global depictions of hysteria and neuropathological diseases, as well as how dramatic and filmic techniques developed to convey the subjective experience of mania. A question central to this class is: how has madness been framed or performed differently across stage and screen genres—including horror, comedy, musicals and non-theatrical media—and newer digital platforms including XR? In what ways have national discourses or ideologies surrounding mental illness and disability found their way into live and mediated performances, and how have scholars and ethicists responded? We will engage with theories of disability, sexuality, race, psychoanalysis, and gesture as well as archival materials in our examination of the changing face of madness across media.

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:ART

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Department-Specific Course Categories

Theater