Sent on behalf of Tracy Cruickshank and Roger Clegg
Playing for Laughs 2009
Saturday February 7 2009, De Montfort University
Dear colleagues,
Following our inaugural comedy conference earlier this year, we are pleased to announce Playing for Laughs 2009, a one-day symposium on comedy and performance.
Focussing on issues of ownership, this symposium builds on discussions begun in February 2008. In addressing what and how things make us laugh we inevitably have to question our 'right' to laugh when the lines between taste and decency, humour and offence are blurred by arguments of context and experience. Is it enough, still, to say 'it's only a joke'?
Playing for Laughs 2009 will begin with a key note address (speaker to be confirmed) on the central issues of ownership. Panels of papers will follow, based on the following topics and issues: gender; race and ethnicity; religion; geography and class; disability; sexuality; age.
We invite proposals for papers that concern issues of morality, ethical responsibility, comic frames and the boundaries and limits of humour in comedy and performance, from stand-up to music hall, from play-writing to sketch shows, from slapstick to satire.
A formal call for papers will be distributed in October. We thought you might appreciate early notification - we would certainly appreciate any feedback/thoughts you might have prior to that call and look forward to your contributions.
Best wishes,
Tracy and Roger
Dr. T. Cruickshank
Senior Lecturer in Drama Studies
Faculty of Humanities
Clephan 2.18
0116 257 7896
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