Gender Roles in Horace Ove's 'Playing Away'

Seminar paper from the year 2024 in the subject Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Bayreuth (Geisteswissenschaften), course: Proseminar Literary Studies, language: English, abstract: This paper examines the 1986 British comedy Playing Away, directed by Horace Ové, as a cinematic exploration of both cultural and racial dynamics and gender roles in 1980s Britain. Playing Away emerges as a product of a reactionary period, reflecting the social realities faced by Black British communities while also challenging traditional portrayals of gender. The central narrative, focused on a cricket match between a West Indian team from Brixton and the residents of a fictional English village, subtly addresses the cultural tensions and misunderstandings between these groups. This study specifically investigates how gender roles are portrayed within the film, contrasting it with mainstream cinema of the time, which often reinforced stereotypes. By situating Playing Away within the historical context of Brixton and the Black British experience, this paper highlights the film's significance in challenging and reshaping both cinematic and societal narratives related to race and gender.