The Blacks: A Clown Show
by Jean Genet, Bernard Frechtman

The Blacks: A Clown Show Book Cover
The Blacks: A Clown Show Cover

Synopsis

This amazing symbolic drama probes the baffling enigma of reality and appearance.

In a play within a play, accused black players reenact the ritualistic murder of a white before a jury of white-masked blacks who represent in caricature a missionary bishop, an island governor general, a haughty queen and her dwarf lackey.

When they have played out their weird and gruesome crime, they turn on their judges and condemn them to death.

Then, with polite adieux to the spectators, they dance the Mozart minuet with which the play began.

Press Reviews

"There is little doubt that Genet is the most important writer to have appeared in France since the end of the second World War."

— New York Herald Tribune

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Bande - annonce Les Nègres de Jean Genet, mise en scène Robert Wilson

Publication

Publisher Samuel French
ISBN-13 9780802150288
ISBN-10 0802150284

The Blacks: A Clown Show is a play written by Jean Genet and published by Samuel French .

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