Black Comedy
A dramatic comedy where dark and sinister subject matters are poked fun at in a bitter and cynical manner. The playwright aims to offend or shock the audience.
Burlesque
A dramatic comedy where dark literary texts are mocked. This can happen when a great work is compared a silly and inane one. This stimulates comic action
City Comedy
A dramatic comedy popular in London during the seventeenth century. These plays handled urban affairs like finance and sex in a satirical way.
Comedy of Humours
A comedy where each character has an overriding trait that makes them humorous. This was popularised in the late seventeenth century.
Comedy Of Manners
Comedy that focused on the social behaviours in the upper and middle classes of society. It normally features greed and lust and immoral characters who are rewarded at the end of the play rather than punished. These plays were most common during the restoration period-the 1660-1700.
Commedia dell’Arte
Consisted of a group of traveling actors in Europe who improvised a comedy performance. These often involved stock and stereotypical characters.
Farce
This type of dramatic comedy creates humour by presenting a serious of ludicrous events in a short period of time. The speed at which it happens and the absurdity of the events is what makes the audience laugh. Slapstick and sexual innuendo is common in this type of drama.
Farce often involves plots consisting of ludicrous and improbable events, adding to the absurdity of the drama. Disguise and slapstick are used to emphaise this.
Parody
The use of imitation to mock a literary work. The imitation is often exaggerated for maximum comic action.
Restoration Comedy.
These plays are often in the form of the comedy of manners. They revolve around the complexity of marriage. These plays were often accused of being morally wrong since they treated the ides of marriage with bitter humour.
Romantic Comedy
These types of comic dramas often encompass mix-ups between young lovers, and there is often the presence of a third lover, making the situation seem even more humorous. They have happy endings often concluding in one or more marriages. The most popular romantic comedies are those of Shakespeare.
Satire
This manner of writing mocks society, institutions or individuals to poke fun at their failings. Satire ranges in intensity, from gentle teasing to a fierce attack.
Sentimental Comedy
A dramatic comedy where middle-class-inherently good characters overcome a series of difficulties. This type of comedy was popular during the eighteenth century.
Theatre of the Absurd
This type of comedy presents unrealistic situations and absurd structures. Playwrights aimed to covey the absurdity of human condition. The comedies evoke the absurd by abandoning the logical form.
Tragicomedy
A play where tragedy and comedy are combined. A sombre atmosphere may be infused with a frivolous mood to result in a happy ending, fulfilling both the comedy aspect and the tragedy aspect of the sub-genre.
A dramatic comedy where dark and sinister subject matters are poked fun at in a bitter and cynical manner. The playwright aims to offend or shock the audience.
Burlesque
A dramatic comedy where dark literary texts are mocked. This can happen when a great work is compared a silly and inane one. This stimulates comic action
City Comedy
A dramatic comedy popular in London during the seventeenth century. These plays handled urban affairs like finance and sex in a satirical way.
Comedy of Humours
A comedy where each character has an overriding trait that makes them humorous. This was popularised in the late seventeenth century.
Comedy Of Manners
Comedy that focused on the social behaviours in the upper and middle classes of society. It normally features greed and lust and immoral characters who are rewarded at the end of the play rather than punished. These plays were most common during the restoration period-the 1660-1700.
Commedia dell’Arte
Consisted of a group of traveling actors in Europe who improvised a comedy performance. These often involved stock and stereotypical characters.
Farce
This type of dramatic comedy creates humour by presenting a serious of ludicrous events in a short period of time. The speed at which it happens and the absurdity of the events is what makes the audience laugh. Slapstick and sexual innuendo is common in this type of drama.
Farce often involves plots consisting of ludicrous and improbable events, adding to the absurdity of the drama. Disguise and slapstick are used to emphaise this.
Parody
The use of imitation to mock a literary work. The imitation is often exaggerated for maximum comic action.
Restoration Comedy.
These plays are often in the form of the comedy of manners. They revolve around the complexity of marriage. These plays were often accused of being morally wrong since they treated the ides of marriage with bitter humour.
Romantic Comedy
These types of comic dramas often encompass mix-ups between young lovers, and there is often the presence of a third lover, making the situation seem even more humorous. They have happy endings often concluding in one or more marriages. The most popular romantic comedies are those of Shakespeare.
Satire
This manner of writing mocks society, institutions or individuals to poke fun at their failings. Satire ranges in intensity, from gentle teasing to a fierce attack.
Sentimental Comedy
A dramatic comedy where middle-class-inherently good characters overcome a series of difficulties. This type of comedy was popular during the eighteenth century.
Theatre of the Absurd
This type of comedy presents unrealistic situations and absurd structures. Playwrights aimed to covey the absurdity of human condition. The comedies evoke the absurd by abandoning the logical form.
Tragicomedy
A play where tragedy and comedy are combined. A sombre atmosphere may be infused with a frivolous mood to result in a happy ending, fulfilling both the comedy aspect and the tragedy aspect of the sub-genre.