Disability and Contemporary Performance

by Petra Kuppers

Disability and Contemporary Performance presents a remarkable challenge to existing assumptions about disability and artistic practice. In particular, it explores where cultural knowledge about disability leaves off, and the lived experience of difference begins. Petra Kuppers, herself an award-winning artist and theorist, investigates the ways in which disabled performers challenge, change and work with current stereotypes through their work. She explores freak show fantasies and 'medical theatre' as well as live art, webwork, theatre, dance, photography and installations, to cast an entirely new light on contemporary identity politics and aesthetics.
This is an outstanding exploration of some of the most pressing issues in performance, cultural and disability studies today, written by a leading practitioner and critic.

192 pages, Paperback

First published December 16, 2003

Reviews

[Rosanna Threakall]

Read in preparation fro my 'Radical Self' module. This book was amazing and really made me think about disability and performance throughout history and today.

My module focuses a lot on the body, so this was a great read and will also be useful for my Physical Theatre module. Definitely pick this up if you're doing similar modules!

A 5* read.

[Allison]

Game-changer for my thesis and artistic practice as a whole, which doesn't tell you what a thoughtful, wonderful book this is but there we are.