Scripted stand-up Comedy in Translation:The Marvelous Mrs Maisel dubbed in Italian

Stand-up comedy is a fascinating art form that has received much scholarly attention (e.g., Mintz, 1985; Rutter, 2000; Lockyer and Mayers, 2011; Quirk, 2015; Double, 2020; Dore, 2022). Similarly, fictional stand-up has been discussed in the literature (Bhattacharjee, 2023), yet analyses exploring the intersections and possible differences between these two phenomena seem to be lacking, with a notable exception being Salamova (2016). To help fill this gap, this study focuses on fictional stand-up routines performed by Miriam “Midge” Maisel, the main character of the TV series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Sherman-Palladino, 2017–2023). This show is worth examining due to the topics it develops and the manner in which it conveys them. Thus, the analysis first examines Midge’s fictional, fully scripted stand-up routines, including the language used (explicit language openly discussing taboo subjects like sex, religion, and politics) and the purposes it serves (to raise awareness and captivate the audience). More importantly, this work explores how Midge interacts with the audience and contrasts this with real, semi-scripted comedian-audience interactions, thereby highlighting similarities and significant differences between them. Subsequently, it investigates how the Italian dubbing, which has traditionally served as a platform for ideological manipulation, handles Midge’s explicit language. The dubbing team largely retained instances of swearing, and when certain instances were omitted, they were compensated for through creative additions (i.e., adding items in the target text [TT] that are not mentioned in the source text [ST], Ranzato, 2016, p. 95). This pattern aligns with current trends in Italian dubbing, indicating a greater degree of freedom in addressing sensitive topics (cf. Dore and Petrucci, 2021; Dore and De Nicola, 2023). However, this change may be because The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, like other popular shows, is not subject to watershed regulations. Comparative analyses between shows featured on streaming platforms and traditional broadcasters may yield different and interesting results.