Culture Clash: Life, Death and Revolutionary Comedy [Paperback]

Culture Clash (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1997

First collection from the Latino/Chicano trio Culture Clash.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Founded on May 5th, (Cinco de Mayo) in San Francisco's Mission District, Culture Clash is Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas and Herbert Siguenza. They have become the most prominent Chicano/Latino performance troupe in the country with work ranging from sketch comedy to full length plays and adaptations of Greek classics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: Theatre Communications Group (February 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559361395
• ISBN-13: 978-1559361392
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,704 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > Literature & Fiction > United States > Hispanic

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Culture Clash's most memorable work to date., November 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Culture Clash: Life, Death and Revolutionary Comedy (Paperback)

(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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars hahaha, January 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Culture Clash: Life, Death and Revolutionary Comedy (Paperback)

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.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you like Culture Clash this libro is for you!, December 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Culture Clash: Life, Death and Revolutionary Comedy (Paperback)

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.