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"The past two decades have witnessed the emergence of a lively Portuguese-language theatre festival circuit, where Brazilian, Portuguese, and Lusophone African artists come together and jointly negotiate the cultural dynamics of an emerging transnationalcommunity grounded in a common language and shared colonial histories. Christina S. McMahon trains a sharp ethnographic eye on African performances staged at these festivals, revealing how festival productions and their aftermath can generate new perspectives on race and gender, colonial trauma, and the economics of cultural globalization. Featuring in-depth analysis of performances and artist interviews from Cape Verde, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, and Mozambique - countries with vibrant theatre practices andvexed colonial pasts - the book reveals how international festivals can be valuable platforms for new intercultural dialogues and diplomatic possibilities. Recasting Transnationalism through Performance offers a fresh look at the role of theatre in navigating new postcolonial realities"--
List of contents
Introduction: Global Casting Calls: Performing (Trans)National Identity On Festival Circuits 1. Mapping Festivals: Cape Verde, Mozambique, and Brazil in the Lusophone World 2. Recasting the Colonial Past: History, Imagination, and Fantasy on Festival Stages 3. African Women on Festival Circuits: Recasting Labor Roles and Female Sexuality 4. Adaptation and the (Trans)Nation: Creolized Shakespeare, Intercultural Cervantes 5. Toward a Conclusion: Forum Theatre in Festival Venues
Report
"Recasting Transnationalism through Performance is a smart, nuanced, and compelling exploration of nation and transnation in African and Lusophone contexts. Christina McMahon's deep understanding of transnational alliances and frictions works in tandem with rich ethnographic detail; the result is a book that transcends disciplinary boundaries in its theoretical appeal." - Laura Edmondson, Darthmouth College, USA
'In the field of Lusophone cultural studies there is nothing comparable to McMahon's study. It stands alone as a most unique and necessary contribution.' - Fernando Arenas, University of Michigan, USA
