Talking funny : an examination of postcolonial bilingualism through the use of language in pantomime

Abstract

This dissertation explores both British-speaking and Maltese-speaking pantomimes through a post-colonial lens with the aim to examine the trends, parallels and common tropes that features in relation to both languages. Pantomime, in this specific case Maltese pantomime, is a form of theatre that includes singing dancing, aspects of drag found with respect to the dame, fourth-wall breaking humour, and in the case studies we will be looking at today, clear examples of bilingual theatre. By examining the Maltese pantomime both through a postcolonial lens and with performance theory that goes beyond the text itself, this dissertation aims to investigate how the legacy of colonialism has influenced both the creation and production of Maltese theatre and its distribution and consumption by contemporary Maltese audiences. What is meant exactly by a post-colonial lens is a viewpoint that specifically views Maltese culture as a product and result of its hybrid nature and long history with different colonial influences, specifically Malta’s time as a British colony. The approach this dissertation takes is by initially building up a basis of theory, giving context and history to the subject matter, accomplished in the first chapter, before then going on to cover the two case studies I have chosen to examine, looking at how they use their language both in the text and in the delivery of the text. Finally the dissertation reviews all the information gathered and draws conclusions to just how the languages are respectively used and what sets a Maltese speaking pantomime apart from an English speaking one.