Doubled Up
Doubled Up
Body Swapping, Multiple Performance and Twins in the Comedy Film
This chapter acknowledges that comedy films that deal with doubling or a split personality are usually a vehicle for particular actors to display their talents onscreen, yet this is not the only trope apparent in such films. This chapter argues that there is a tension between the comedy film as a medium for particular comedians/actors to showcase their talents, and comedy tropes used to drive narrative. Whilst it is true that the spectacle of many comedy films lies in the star performer, and this is the draw for the audience, it is also the case that certain plot conventions and themes crop up continually in the comedy, or family film, that centre on doubling. This chapter will chart these conventions with a focus on twin narratives, multiple performance and body swapping.
Keywords: comedy, twins, performance, transgression, wish-fulfilment
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