Description
Examines how centuries-old stagecraft shaped modern racial politics--and why the performance of whiteness still commands the spotlight.
From Shakespearean blackface to the alt-right's khaki-clad protests, Clothed Villainy: Acting White in in Early Modern Drama by Jamie Paris confronts the uncomfortable truths of racial performance across centuries. Paris argues that whiteness is not a fixed identity but a precarious and performative construct--shaped and sustained through actions, appearances, and cultural scripts.
Drawing on critical race theory, performance studies, and Indigenous scholarship, Clothed Villainy traces how racial scripts--whether "playing Black," "playing Indian," or especially "playing white"--have been used to uphold white supremacy and erase marginalized identities. By examining the costuming and characterization of white actors portraying Black villains on the early modern stage, Paris reveals how these theatrical traditions continue to echo in contemporary racial politics.
Written with bold clarity and personal insight, this book opens space for reimagining race, history, and identity through a more critical and inclusive lens. Clothed Villainy is essential reading for scholars, students, and anyone seeking to understand the deep-rooted performance of race in society and how we might reimagine it for a more equitable future.
Author: Jamie Paris
Publisher: University Alabama Press
Published: 08/15/2026
Pages: 248
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 8.91h x 5.99w x 0.72d
ISBN13: 9780817362669
ISBN10: 0817362665
BISAC Categories:
- Literary Criticism | Drama
- Performing Arts | Theater | History & Criticism
- Social Science | Race & Ethnic Relations
About the Author
Jamie Paris is an instructor in the English, theatre, film, and media department at the University of Manitoba. Paris is also assistant editor of the journal Early Theatre.