Womedy and its women: How female comedians confront and perform gender within dress and costume, in their stand-up performances

dc.contributor.authorFlorentino, Gabriella
dc.contributor.supervisorRamsay, Fiona
dc.date.accessioned2025-04-10T11:33:46Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.descriptionA research report Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for a Ma by Research, Theatre and Performance, In the Faculty of Humanities , School of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024
dc.description.abstractThis research is grounded in gender, comedy and costume and investigates links that weave through humour and gender. Is costume the link? This research grew from the perception that ‘men are funnier than women’ or that ‘women aren’t funny’, as mentioned by Jerry Lewis and Christopher Hitchens. This perception held female comedians out of the comedy industry. However, this is changing as more female comedians are rising to fame. This study examines this perception and stereotypes to explore how female comedians are changing this perception. The research uses the theoretical framework of a semiotic analysis of ten signs and a gender performativity lens inspired by Judith Butler to determine their role in sanctioning these perceptions. Through three case studies, this research examines gender inequalities and differences. I explore the practice of women’s stand-up comedy and its space by comparing three female comedian’s performances to determine whether female comedians perform gender
dc.description.submitterMM2025
dc.facultyFaculty of Humanities
dc.identifier.citationFlorentino, Gabriella. (2024). Womedy and its women: How female comedians confront and perform gender within dress and costume, in their stand-up performances [Masters dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WIReDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/44687
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/44687
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.rights© 2024 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
dc.rights.holderUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.schoolWits School of Arts
dc.subjectUCTD
dc.subjectomedy
dc.subjectcostume
dc.subjectfemale comedians
dc.subjectgender performativity
dc.subjectsemiotic analysis
dc.subjectstereotypes
dc.subject.primarysdgSDG-5: Gender equality
dc.titleWomedy and its women: How female comedians confront and perform gender within dress and costume, in their stand-up performances
dc.typeDissertation

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