BRITISH COMEDY

An introduction to humour in British TV

WHAT IS COMEDY?

Is humour the same in every country?

What makes people laugh in your country?

VOCABULARY

Irony, Sarcasm(n)

A Comedian (n, masc)

A Comedienne (n, fem)

An innuendo (n)

A gag, a joke (n)

A punch line

A sketch (n)

Dry (adj)

A panel (n)

Conventional (adj)

Alternative (adj)

Observational (adj)

MEDIA

Television

Radio

Written forms

Comic strips, poems, stories

COMIC STRIP

FORMATS

Stand up

Situational Comedy

Game show/Panel Show

Sketch show

THEMES

Innuendo

Satire

Absurd

Macabre

Surreal and chaotic

Humour in everyday life

Social awkwardness

British Class system

Race and regional stereotypes

Sarcasm

Parodies of stereotypes

Eccentric people

Pranks and practical jokes

GENRES

Slapstick

Surreal

Class

Political

Alternative

Satire

Parody

Macabre/Black/Dark

Panel Show

HISTORY

The Music Hall

The War

Women

Radio

Television

The Heyday of British Comedy…… the 70s.

STAND UP

THE SITCOM

THE SKETCH SHOW

THE GAME/PANEL SHOW

MONTY PYTHON

Politics

Slapstick, Surreal

Sketch

THE TWO RONNIES

Play on words,Class

Conventional

Sketch

FRENCH/SAUNDERS

Parody

Satire

Sketch

ALAN PARTRIDGE

Social awkwardness

Surreal

Sitcom

BILLY CONNOLLY

Everyday life

Observational

Stand up

MR BEAN

Eccentric

Slapstick

Sitcom

BLACKADDER

Class

Historic

Play on words

Sitcom

HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU?

Religion

Satire

Panel Show

THE FAST SHOW

Observational, everyday humour

Eccentric person

Sketch

THE OFFICE

Social awkwardness

Black comedy

Sitcom

WHO’S LINE IS IT ANYWAY?

Social awkwardness

Slapstick, surreal

Panel Show

BIG TRAIN

Everyday life, Play on words

Observational, surreal

Sketch

THANK YOU FOR

LISTENING!

You can find all these clips in a playlist on Youtube….

Search for “EF Manchester British Comedy Lecture

WATCH AGAIN…

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLme6v_

sQkdGe9IJekVoa9ajYHkV9rtOi4