Hannah Ballou
Abstract of project
This practice-based research engages with post-structuralist theories of laughter, feminist theories of humour, and burlesque and stand-up comedy performance practices to locate, illuminate, and exploit the dissonance between laughter and desire. It reconsiders Patraka's notion of binary terror in the context of simultaneously sexy and funny female performance. It proposes exposing the ironic tension of Willson's theory of feminist fluidity as a comedic strategy for the burlesque body.
Profile
Hannah is a London-based cabaret, comedy and physical theatre practitioner. She began her PhD study at Central in January 2011 and is a recipient of a Central Research Bursary. She trained at the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre in California, and completed her MA Advance Theatre Practice at Central in 2008. She has performed her work internationally in such venues as New York's Slipper Room, the London Burlesque Festival, Battersea Arts Centre, Barbican Centre (London Symphony Orchestra), Leicester Square Theatre, Volupte Lounge, and the Bethnal Green Working Men's Club. She produced and starred in The Lambchop Magoo Show at Proud Cabaret in 2010. As a stand-up comic, she has opened for Shazia Mirza, and has hosted numerous fundraisers. In addition to her rigorous training in the styles of Lecoq, Gaulier, and Mazzone-Clementi, she is well-versed in yoga, Laban for Actors, and contact improvisation and plays the banjolele. She has extensive experience teaching drama. dance and singing to children.
Cabaret producing
The Lambchop Magoo Show, Proud Cabaret
hoo:ha, Battersea Arts Centre
Cabaret credits
Leicester Square Theatre; Volupte Lounge, London; London Arts Theatre; Bongo Club, Edinburgh; The Slipper Room, New York; Chelsea Theatre; Whoopee Club, London; Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, London; Wasserwerks, Berlin (client Microsoft); Duckie, Royal Vauxhall Tavern, London; Madam Jojo's; London Burlesque Festival 2009.
Conference papers
'The Eyes Have It: an analysis of eye contact in performance practice within the framework of Bert O. States' phenomenological modes', Central School of Speech & Drama Postgraduate Conference, 2008 (unpublished)