(Routledge Advances in Theatre & Performance Studies) 1st Edition
by Kristin Hunt (Author)
A pea soda. An apple balloon. A cotton candy picnic. A magical mole.
These are just a handful of examples of mimetic cuisine, a diverse set
of culinary practices in which chefs and artists treat food as a means
of representation. As theatricalised fine dining and the use of food in
theatrical situations both grow in popularity, Alimentary Performances traces
the origins and implications of food as a mimetic medium, used to
imitate, represent, and assume a role in both theatrical and broader
performance situations.
Kristin Hunt's rich and wide-ranging account of food's growing representational stakes asks:
- What culinary approaches to mimesis can tell us about enduring philosophical debates around knowledge and authenticity
- How the dramaturgy of food within theatres connects with the developing role of theatrical cuisine in restaurant settings
- Ways
in which these turns toward culinary mimeticism engender new histories,
advance new epistemologies, and enable new modes of multisensory
spectatorship and participation.
This is an essential study
for anyone interested in the intersections between food, theatre, and
performance, from fine dining to fan culture and celebrity chefs to the
drama of the cookbook.
