Abstract
Abstract This article examines different conceptions of realism in theatre and manga by focusing on gender performance in Minako Narita's manga, Alien Street (1980–84). It depicts a male actor who plays female roles in realist theatre productions. I argue that the believability of this gender performance stems in part from the conventions of manga realism, where non-realistic signs are used to mark gender distinctions. However, in contrast to these conventions, this manga also highlights the performative nature of gender by revealing how a realist stage forces the performers to cite and repeat the conventional gendered practices. In doing so, Alien Street mixes manga and theatre realism and complicates our understanding of gender conventions.
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