Staging feminism A dramaturgical approach to ‘intersectionality’, ‘body politics’ and ‘gender construction’ as working concepts in a feminist theatre and performance practice. MASTERTHESIS Student Floor Cremers Student number 10631291 Master’s programme Arts & Culture | International Dramaturgy University of Amsterdam Supervisor Associate professor Dr. Sruti Bala Second reader Professor Dr. Kati Röttger Date of entry 10-07-2018 Master Thesis Staging Feminism Floor Cremers TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3 CHAPTER 1 History of Feminism – from a sociological and performance theory perspective .... 7 § 1.1 Strategies for analysing feminism .............................................................................................. 8 § 1.1.1 Analysing Feminism socio-historically – The wave analogy ............................................. 8 § 1.1.2 Analysis through performance theory ................................................................................. 9 § 1.2 Second wave feminism .............................................................................................................. 12 1.2.1 Key concepts for second wave feminism ............................................................................. 13 The personal is political ................................................................................................................ 14 Patriarchy ...................................................................................................................................... 15 Sisterhood (and its limitations) ..................................................................................................... 17 § 1.2.2 Feminist practice: The personal became aesthetic ............................................................ 17 § 1.3 Third wave feminism ................................................................................................................. 20 § 1.3.1 Difference-thinking in reaction to the second wave’s unification. ................................... 21 § 1.3.2 What this resulted in: Intersectionality ............................................................................. 21 § 1.3.3 The poststructuralist-turn .................................................................................................. 23 § 1.4 Fourth wave? ............................................................................................................................ 24 § 1.4.1 Critique of the third wave: divisive, competitive and individualistic ............................... 25 § 1.4.2 Commodification of feminism .......................................................................................... 26 CHAPTER 2 Intersectionality – as a condition and an outcome of a production process. ... 29 § 2.1 What is Intersectionality? ......................................................................................................... 29 § 2.2 Intersectionality in theatre and performance theory ................................................................ 31 § 2.3 Intersectionality in We shall not be moved. .............................................................................. 32 § 2.3.1 Genealogy of the project and the process of creation ....................................................... 32 § 2.3.2 An intersectional inquiry into ‘Hip-hopera’ as a multidisciplinary practice ..................... 33 § 2.3.3 Intersectional reflection on storyline and characters ......................................................... 36 § 2.3.4 Context programming ....................................................................................................... 38 CHAPTER 3 – Performing body politics – Reclaiming a narrative ............................................... 40 § 3.1 Sexual repression as a starting point for analysis .................................................................... 40 § 3.2 Cock… Cock… Who’s there? ................................................................................................... 42 § 3.2.1 The use of the medium film – The Male Gaze .................................................................. 43 § 3.2.2 Conversations with friends and family - the personal is political ..................................... 44 § 3.3 Men as objects of research - Taking control over the male gaze ............................................. 45 § 3.4 Documentary/lecture form as a performance strategy ............................................................. 47 1 Master Thesis Staging Feminism Floor Cremers CHAPTER 4 Gender construction in Hamlet vs. Hamlet .......................................................... 49 § 4.1 Concstruction of gender ........................................................................................................... 49 § 4.2 Hamlet as an androgynous figure ............................................................................................ 51 § 4.3 Geneology of Hamlet as a classic gender(ed) story ................................................................. 54 § 4.4 Androgyny of Hamlet as an in between state ........................................................................... 57 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 60 Works cited ........................................................................................................................................... 63 2 Master Thesis Staging Feminism Floor Cremers Introduction Feminism is hot. Every day you can read about it in the newspapers1, hear about it on talk shows on TV2 or join debate groups in real life and on social media.3 In the major stores you can get T-shirts with popular feminist slogans like “the Future is Female”, “We Should All be Feminists” or “Radical Feminist”. You can listen to Beyoncé, and buy a fake gold necklace with “feminist” to make it apparent to the world what you are: a smart, sexy, happy feminist woman. Once every few weeks a new public debate emerges on topics like gender equality, masculinity and LGBTQ rights not seldom resulting in a full blown moral panic, for example when it came to discussing gender neutral toilets in public places, or when the municipality of Amsterdam decided to address its citizens as ‘dear citizens’ instead of using a gender indication when addressing the people of Amsterdam – just like the largest Dutch railway organisation changed the start of its announcements from ‘ladies and gentlemen’ to ‘dear passengers –. It is against this current backdrop that I have become increasingly interested in the origins of feminism and gender studies, in order to better understand the operations and efficacy of gender inequality within society at large, and in how it affected me personally. Especially in relation to dramaturgy, my current field of study. In working with theatre makers, the dramaturg both promotes a general awareness of the world we live in today and at the same time he or she attempt to grow a form of consciousness in the development of the theatre makers core concepts for a particular performance. In order to do so, the dramaturg needs to understand the structures that shape the world now and that have shaped the world in the past. Using feminism as a lens through which to analyse disparities in the real world, in everyday life, so to say, made me wonder. How can I apply feminism as an analytical tool to analyse theatrical performances today? This resulted in the following research question: 1 https://www.volkskrant.nl/alle-nieuws-over-feminisme/ Volkskrant, applying the search term ‘Feminisme’. Last accessed on 10-04-2018 2 https://www.vpro.nl/speel~POMS_AT_13002826~de-emancipatie-van-de-man~.html TV show called Buitenhof. Episode dedicated to the emancipation of men. Or check https://evajinek.kro- ncrv.nl/onderwerpen/feminisme-voor-vrouwen-en-mannen the web channel dedicated to feminism by Eva Jinek, a popular Dutch talk show host. Last Accessed on 10-04-2018 3 For example, at debate centre De Rode Hoed, there is a full series dedicated to young feminists waging battle against beauty ideals and imaging of women called “De Schoonheidssalon” and there is an essayclub called “Fast Feminsim” in which feminist literature and major influential ideas are being discussed. http://www.rodehoed.nl/nl/programma/Series/ Last accessed on 10-04-2018. 3 Master Thesis Staging Feminism Floor Cremers How can feminism be used as a lens to analyse contemporary performances in the Dutch performance context, both in terms of drawing meaning from a performance as well as understanding the influence of feminism on artistic strategies and performance methods of theatre makers today? There is a saying that there are as many feminisms as there are feminists. To say you are a feminist thus calls for a dialogue. A historical understanding of the term ‘feminism’ seems essential for a dramaturg in the dialogue with the artistic team, in order for the performance to become more politically effective in that area. The first part of this thesis will sketch the genealogy of contemporary western feminism, leading up to a number of newly manifested fields of study that have their origin in feminist