TY - THES ID - 135526656 TI - What methods does Le Théâtre Royal de Toone use in order to maintain its position within popular culture AU - Shaw, Kathryn AU - Baetens, Jan AU - KU Leuven. Faculteit Letteren. Opleiding Master of Cultural Studies (Leuven) PY - 2016 PB - Leuven KU Leuven. Faculteit Letteren DB - UniCat UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:135526656 AB - Without assessing the audience demographic, I analyse the universally relevant, and culturally specific qualities of Le Théâtre Royal de Toone's marionettes, in order to understand whether these are considered powerful enough to attract, and benefit audiences. This thesis is split into an introduction, five chapters, and a conclusion. In the introduction, I outline my argument, and establish my structural framework of using Mikhail Bakhtin's carnivalesque theory as a guideline. In my first chapter, I deliver the Toone theatre's history, and the evolution of the marionette. In the second chapter, I discover the subgenres used by the Toone theatre, and the significance of their ability to instill laughter. My third chapter discusses Bakhtin's grotesque realism in relation to the marionettes' aesthetic, and movements. Fourthly, I approach the lingual situation in Belgium, and Brussels to comprehend how the Toone theatre's dialogue slots within this social discomfort. In my final chapter, I analyse two of the Toone theatre's annually recurring plays in depth, La Nativité and La Passion, appropriating the theories of the previous chapters, whilst also weaving in Catholic religious debates. My conclusion summarises my findings, and displays a coherent explanation of how the Toone theatre makes itself relevant to both past and contemporary audiences. ER -