Slapstick and Comic Performance - by L Peacock (Paperback)

About the Book

Slapstick comedy has been entertaining audiences for centuries. Within slapstick, comic pain and comic violence are performed to provoke laughter. This book explores just how and why the performance of pain and violence can make us laugh. It examines the centrality of the double act, the importance of morality and the techniques used by slapstick performers. In this engaging new book, Louise Peacock provides a detailed consideration of the ways in which slapstick is structured and performed, exploring a range of examples drawn from theatre, film and television including Commedia dell'Arte, Punch and Judy, Circus Clowns, television sitcoms like Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and a wide range of films from Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times to The Hangover.

Book Synopsis

Slapstick comedy has a long and lively history from Greek Theatre to the present day. This book explores the ways in which comic pain and comic violence are performed within slapstick to make the audience laugh. It draws examples from theatre, television and film on both sides of the Atlantic.

Review Quotes

"Her book examines the types of pain that can be greeted with uproarious mirth by perfectly sane and kindly audiences, both children and adults. Its definitive analysis shows the matter to be far from simple. In the context of slapstick, important distinctions emerge between accidental, random, intentional and real pain inflicted for amusement and these are carefully defined. ... a splendidly constructive analysis of an important but often ignored topic in humor research." (Jessica Milner Davis, Humor, Vol. 31 (03), August, 2018)

About the Author

Louise Peacock is a Senior Lecturer in Drama and Theatre Practice at the University of Hull, UK, where she teaches a range of courses related to comedy in popular performance. She is the author of Serious Play: Modern Clown Performance.