Women, Theatre and Calypso in the English-Speaking Caribbean

Bibliographic Data

ID3946699
AuthorsDenise Hughes-Tafen, Denise C Hughes-Tafen (corresponding author)
Year2006
Volume84
Issue1
Pages48-66
Publication date2006-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFeminist Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0141-7789 • E-ISSN: 1466-4380
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1057/palgrave.fr.9400300
OpenAlexW2108022471
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited18

The present essay discusses how women calypsonians in the English-speaking Caribbean use Calypso performances as a theatrical platform to offer a gendered critique of the nation and engage in a dialogue, which despite exhibiting pride in the nation, questions its various exclusions in ways that seek to redefine dominant constructions of the nation as 'we'. Not only do they offer a vision of the nation and its cultural aspects that is more inclusive, they also speak out against cultural and political oppression. I analyse specific performances by Singing Sandra (Trinidad) and Queen Ivena (Antigua) from my position as an 'indigenous-outsider' and 'outsider within' in order to demonstrate that Calypso performance is a post-colonial form of theatre in the English-speaking Caribbean that is being used by women as a site for feminist action and agency

Agency (philosophy) · Colonialism · Cultural politics · Feminism · Indigenous · Oppression · Political science · Politics · Pride · Singing · Social science · Sociology · Anthropology · Caribbean history, culture, and politics · Cuban History and Society · Cultural Studies · Gender Studies · Law · South Asian Cinema and Culture

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