Culture Clash: Life, Death and Revolutionary Comedy

by Culture Clash

Book Overview

"Culture Clash is a national treasure." - Philip Kan Gotanda

"These guys are funny daredevils of performance, totally fearless as they skewer convention and lazy thinking. Cool." - Eric Bogosian

"Important social satire for these urgent times." - Dolores Huerta, Vice President, United Farm Workers of america, AFL-C10

"Keep kicking them in the cojones." - George Carlin

You are holding Culture Clash - the book After fourteen...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1559361395
• ISBN13: 9781559361392
• Release Date: February 1997
• Publisher: Theatre Communications Group
• Length: 260 Pages
• Weight: 0.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.4" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

MOE'S REVIEW

So far the book is good. Even though it's short plays, I can picture them on stage doing their thang. I've seen some of their work on tv and it brings back alot of memories.

Culture Clash's most memorable work to date.

(Hee, hee, hee.) Psss...t! (Hee, hee, hee.) Wanna hear somethin' funny? Culture Clash. The book presents their most memorable work to date, although the point can be easily argued (e.g., at the Japan America Theatre, their wickedly hilarious, cathartic "S.O.S." following the mop-up of the L.A. Riots/Rebellion/African-Korean Turf Wars). "The Mission" (1988), "A Bowl of Beings" (1991), and "Radio Mambo: Culture Clash Invades Miami" (1994) are the published plays. Japanese-American playwright Philip Kan Gotanda introduces the Chicano comedy troupe--Herbert Siguenza, Ric Salinas, Richard Montoya--in a 9-pg. transcribed interview, covering the education and work experience of each member, group evolution, collective creation, and comedy group alliances. A 4-pg. glossary of bicultural terms/refs. can be found in front. Each play is prefaced by a different member of the group. BW production photos give the reader the illusion of watching the show in between script consultations.I haven't seen "The Mission" yet, but I've caught other shows and benefits they've done, enough so that I could hear C.C. talking in my head as I read through the script. Weird. Lalo Guerrero's song "No Chicanos on TV" pretty much summarizes what this play is about and how desperate out-of-work actors can get, in this case kidnapping Julio Iglesias for their 15 minutes of fame. There's also some irreverent stuff (I didn't say irrelevant) about Father Junipero Serra."A Bowl of Beings" premiered at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in July 1991; it was the first time I saw them. I watched "Bowl" on PBS the following March and saw it yet again that October at Univ. of Calif., San Diego. My favorite part of the show is "Chicano on the Storm," where Richard is stuck in a straitjacket vomiting his multicultural nightmare."Radio Mambo," created from videotaped interviews with Miami residents, made me fall back in love with C.C. Their tremendous talents as performers were spotlighted as they had to go beyond the parameters of their usual stock characters. I caught "Mambo" at South Coast Rep's Second Stage in July 1996. The intimate setting worked for the play. It's a show whose power is in the close up--of the performer and the performed.

hahaha

Culture clash is a collection of 3 plays that analyzes the complexites of race relations in America. Humor is the guise which coats the deeper issues that is brought up by the trio. This book can be enjoyed in numerous levels.

If you like Culture Clash this libro is for you!

This books provides a written guide to the hilarious stage antics and dead serious social commentary of this comedy trio. Richard, Rick and Herbert have that strange ability to make you laugh out loud then make look over your shoulder wondering whether you should. Those fortunate enough to have experienced Culture Clash will recognize where the improv begins and ends. This book gave me the opportunity to revist the many places these guys took me, at my own paso.

A collection of their first three plays

"Culture Clash: Life, Death..." is not really a novel or biography of the comedy/performance group, but a collection of their first three plays "The Mission," "Bowl of Beings" and "Radio Mambo." The book also includes a relatively short interview with the group where they discuss their origins and an introduction to the three plays each done by one of the members. That said, the actual plays are great. They are original, political, thought provoking, hilarious. "The Mission" is about a Chicano comedy groups kidnapping of the greatest Latino entertainer Julio Iglesias. "Bowl Of Beings" is a collection of sketch pieces which includes "Stand and Deliver Pizza" and "The Return of Che Guevara." "Radio Mambo," is a series of sketches done in interview form (mostly) commisioned by the City of Miami. It thoughtfully examines the social complexities of the Black, Jewish, Cuban, Haitian and White communities of Miami The best part of Culture Clash is their ability to blend the Chicano political conciousness with humor and making it accesible to all without "selling out." If you haven't seen them live, think about doing so. The three plays are great, but may not be as entertaining if you haven't seen their manic performance style.