The semiotics and metapragmatics of humour in contemporary theatre

This study explores the semiotic boundaries of humour in theatre by examining Lena Kitsopoulou’s postmodern free adaptation of Aristophanes’ comedy Wasps. It discusses the interplay between theatrical aesthetics, the ethical dimensions of humour, artistic intent, and audience reception. In view of the multimodality of theatre, it applies a semiotic approach to the analysis of verbal and performance signs to demonstrate the Greek artist’s controversial and provocative humour. Considering humou...