Institute of Art Design + Technology
Dún Laoghaire

Alicia McManus 

BA [Hons] Animation

Hi :) I am a Dublin-based 2D animator who likes exploring movement and motion. Figuring out how things work and move is a fun challenge and it’s always rewarding seeing the final result whether it’s digital or hand-drawn. Below is a selection of work from various film projects or personal work.



‘Whatever it is, I’m Against it’; A Study of Carnivalesque Comedy in the films of the Marx Brothers

Throughout their career the Marx Brothers won over the hearts of America and are still adored globally today, their comedy was wild and frequently made fun of high society without a care for the potential consequences. They weren’t hesitant to mock those in positions of authority, including the President, providing a safe place for people to laugh at things they otherwise wouldn’t dare. In this thesis three of their earlier films are examined, The Cocoanuts, Monkey Business and Duck Soup. The brothers used their style of comedy to mock people in the social classes above them mirroring the essence of Mikhail Bakhtin’s carnivalesque comedy and this thesis will review this theory in relation to each of the three films whilst also analysing their themes.