A farce is a comedy written for the stage or film which aims to entertain the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include sexual innuendo and word play, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases, culminating in an ending which often involves an elaborate chase scene. Comedy (from the Greek κωμωδίαkomodia has a popular meaning (any discourse generally intended to amuse especially in Television, Film, and See also Entertainment (disambiguation and The Entertainer (disambiguation Entertainment is an activity designed to give people Humour or humor (see spelling differences) is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke Laughter and provide Amusement An innuendo (also called insinuation) is a remark or question typically disparaging that works obliquely by Allusion. Mythos (Aristotle In literature the plot comprises all the events in a story particularly rendered towards the achievement of some particular Artistic or Emotional Farce is also characterized by physical humour, the use of deliberate absurdity or nonsense, and broadly stylized performances.

Many farces move at a frantic pace toward the climax, in which the initial problem is resolved one way or another, often through a deus ex machina twist of the plot. A deus ex machina ( lat. ˈdeːus eks ˈmaːkʰina literally "god from a/the machine" is an improbable Generally, there is a happy ending. The convention of poetic justice is not always observed: The protagonist may get away with what he or she has been trying to hide at all costs, even if it is a criminal act. Poetic justice is a literary device in which Virtue is ultimately Rewarded or Vice punished, often in modern literature by an

Farce in general is highly tolerant of transgressive behavior, and tends to depict human beings as vain, irrational, venal, infantile, and prone to automatic behavior. Automatic behavior, from the Greek automatismos or self action is the spontaneous production of often purposeless verbal or motor behavior without conscious self-control or In that respect, farce is a natural companion of satire. Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although in practice it is also found in the graphic and Performing arts In satire human Farce is, in fact, not merely a genre but a highly flexible dramatic mode that often occurs in combination with other forms, including romantic comedy. Farce is considered a theatre tradition.

As far as ridiculous, far-fetched situations, quick and witty repartee, and broad physical humor are concerned, farce is widely employed in TV sitcoms, in silent film comedy, and in screwball comedy. Wit is a form of intellectual Humour. A wit (person is someone skilled in making witty remarks The screwball comedy is a subgenre of the comedy Film genre. It has proven to be one of the most popular and enduring film genres See also bedroom farce. A bedroom farce or sex farce is a type of light Comedy, centered on the sexual pairings and recombinations of characters as they move through improbable plots and

Japan has a centuries-old tradition of farce plays called Kyogen. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. These plays are performed as comic relief during the long, serious Noh plays. or is a major form of classic Japanese musical Drama that has been performed since the 14th century

Contents 1 Representative examples: A chronology 1.1 Britain 1.2 France 1.3 Germany 1.4 Italy 1.5 Russia 1.6 United States 2 References 3 External links

Representative examples: A chronology

Britain

• Anonymus: The Second Shepherds' Play (14th century)
• Christopher Marlowe: The Jew of Malta (ca. Anonymus is the Latin word for anonymous, the correct English spelling The Second Shepherds' Play is a famous medieval Mystery play which is contained in the manuscript HM1 the unique manuscript of the Wakefield Cycle. The Jew of Malta is a play by Christopher Marlowe, probably written in 1589 or 1590. 1589)
• William Shakespeare: The Comedy of Errors (ca. William Shakespeare ( baptised The Comedy of Errors is one of William Shakespeare 's earliest plays believed to have been written between 1589 and 1594 1592)
• Arthur Wing Pinero: The Magistrate (1885)
• Brandon Thomas: Charley's Aunt (1892)
• Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)
• Ben Travers: Thark (1927)
• Noel Coward: Hay Fever (1925); Present Laughter (1939)
• Philip King: See How They Run (1945) Big Bad Mouse (1957)
• Joe Orton: Loot (1967) What the Butler Saw (1969)
• Michael Pertwee: Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! (1971)
• Anthony Marriott & Alistair Foot: No Sex Please, We're British (19(comedy)|Bedroom Farce]] (1975)
• John Cleese: Fawlty Towers (1975)
• John Chapman & Anthony Marriott: Shut Your Eyes and Think of England (1977)
• Derek Benfield: Touch and Go (1982)
• Michael Frayn: Noises Off (1982)
• Nigel Williams: W. Sir Arthur Wing Pinero ( 24 May 1855 - 23 November 1934) was an English Dramatist. See also Brandon Thomas (musician Walter Brandon Thomas ( 24 December 1850 – 19 June 1914) was an English Charley's Aunt is a Farce in three acts written by Brandon Thomas. Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900 was an Irish Playwright, Novelist, poet and Author of The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde. It premiered on February 14, 1895 at the St Ben Travers CBE ( 12 November 1886 - 18 December 1980) was a British Playwright most famous for his Farces Sir Noël Peirce Coward ( 16 December 1899 26 March 1973) was an English Actor, Playwright Hay Fever is a comic play written by Noel Coward in 1924 and first produced in 1925 with Marie Tempest as the first Judith Bliss Present Laughter is a comedic play written by Noel Coward in 1939 and first staged in 1942 as part of a double bill with his lower middle-class See How They Run is a classic English comedy by Philip King. Its title is a line from the nursery rhyme Three Joe Orton ( 1 January, 1933, Leicester, England - 9 August, 1967, Islington, London) born John Loot is a play by Joe Orton. The play is an extremely dark Farce which satirises the Roman Catholic Church, social attitudes to death What the Butler Saw is a play by Joe Orton first produced on March 5, 1969, in London Michael Pertwee ( 24 April 1916 - 17 April 1991) was a British playwright and screenwriter Don't Just Lie There Say Something! is a 1973 British Film based on the popular "Whitehall Farce " written by No Sex Please We're British is a British comedic play written by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott and first staged in London's John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer Fawlty Towers is a British sitcom made by the BBC and first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975 John Chapman may refer to Johnny Appleseed, born "John Chapman" pioneer nurseryman and missionary John Chapman (evangelist, Australian Derek Benfield (born 11 March 1926 is a British Playwright and Actor. Michael Frayn (born 8 September 1933 is an English playwright and novelist Noises Off is a 1982 play by Michael Frayn. The idea for it was born in 1970 when Frayn was standing in the wings watching a performance of Chinamen Nigel Williams (born January 20, 1948 in Cheadle, near Stockport, Cheshire) is a British Novelist, Screenwriter C. P. C. (1982)
• Miles Tredinnick: Laugh? I Nearly Went To Miami! (1986)
• Alan Ayckbourn: A Small Family Business (1987)
• Miles Tredinnick: It’s Now Or Never! (1991)
• Tom Kempinski: Sex Please, We're Italian! (1991)
• Ray Cooney: Funny Money (1994)

France

• The Boy and the Blind Man, 13th century, oldest written French farce. Miles Tredinnick (born February 18 1955) is a writer and lead singer with the British rock band London. Laugh? I Nearly Went to Miami! is a stage comedy by Miles Tredinnick. Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE (born 12 April 1939 is a popular and prolific English playwright Miles Tredinnick (born February 18 1955) is a writer and lead singer with the British rock band London. It's Now or Never! is a stage comedy written by Miles Tredinnick. Ray Cooney, OBE (born 1932 is an English Playwright and Actor, sometimes known as "the master of Farce " Funny Money is a Farce written by Ray Cooney. It premièred at The Churchill Theatre, Bromley, London, England in Le Garçon et l'aveugle ( The Boy and the Blind Man) is the name of a 13th century French play considered the oldest surviving French literature
• Molière: Tartuffe (1664)
• Georges Feydeau: Le Dindon (1896) (aka Sauce for the Goose)
• Octave Mirbeau : Farces et moralités (1904). Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, also known by his Stage name, Molière, ( January 15, 1622 – February 17 1673) was a French Tartuffe (full title Tartuffe or the Hypocrite, French fr ''Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur'' is a Comedy by Molière, and arguably his most famous Georges Feydeau, ( 8 December 1862 - 5 June 1921) was a French Playwright of the Era known as La Belle Epoque Octave Mirbeau ( February 16, 1848 in Trévières - February 16, 1917) was a French Journalist, Art critic
• Georges Feydeau: A Flea in Her Ear (1907)
• Marc Camoletti: Boeing Boeing (1960) and Pyjama pour Six (1985) (aka Don't Dress for Dinner) [1]
• Jean Poiret: La Cage aux Folles (1973)

Germany

• Carl Laufs & Wilhelm Jacoby: Pension Schöller (1890)
• Franz Arnold & Ernst Bach: Weekend im Paradies (1928) [2]
• Miles Tredinnick with Ursula Lyn and Adolf Opel: ...Und Morgen Fliegen Wir Nach Miami (1987)

Italy

• Dario Fo: Morte accidentale di un anarchico also known as Accidental Death of an Anarchist was first played on December 5, 1970 in Varese, Italy

Russia

• Nikolai Gogol The Government Inspector (also translated as The Inspector General)
• Anton Chekhov A Marriage Proposal

United States

• Avery Hopwood [3] & Wilson Collison: Getting Gertie's Garter (1927) [4]
• Bringing Up Baby (1938)
• My Favorite Wife (1940)
• Joseph Kesselring: Arsenic and Old Lace (1941)
• Preston Sturges: The Palm Beach Story (1942)
• The Kid from Brooklyn (1946)
• Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)
• Fancy Pants (1950)
• Monkey Business (1952)
• I Love Lucy (1951-1957)
• Some Like It Hot (1959)
• The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)^[1]
• It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
• The Producers (1968)
• The Ritz (1975)
• Three's Company (TV show) (1977-1984)
• Billy Van Zandt & Jane Milmore: "Love Sex and the I. Georges Feydeau, ( 8 December 1862 - 5 June 1921) was a French Playwright of the Era known as La Belle Epoque A Flea in Her Ear (La Puce à l'oreille is a 1907 play by Georges Feydeau written at the height of the Belle Époque. Don't Dress for Dinner is a two-act play by French Playwright Marc Camoletti that's a sequel to Camoletti's other hit play Boeing Jean Poiret, born Jean Poiré, ( 17 August 1926 &ndash 14 March 1992) was a French actor director and screenwriter La Cage aux Folles is a 1973 French Farce play by Jean Poiret. Miles Tredinnick (born February 18 1955) is a writer and lead singer with the British rock band London. Dario Fo (born March 24, 1926) is an Italian satirist, Playwright, Theater director, Actor, and Composer Accidental Death of an Anarchist Accidental Death of an Anarchist Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol (Никола́й Васи́льевич Го́голь Nikolai Vasilevich Gogol;; Микола Васильович Гоголь For the television drama of the same name see The Government Inspector (television drama. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov ( –) (Анто́н Па́влович Че́хов) was a Russian short-story writer and Playwright, considered to be one A Marriage Proposal (sometimes called simply The Proposal, Предложение) is a one-act play by Anton Chekhov, written in Avery Hopwood ( May 28, 1882 - July 1, 1928) who was born in Cleveland and graduated from the University of Michigan, was Bringing Up Baby is a 1938 Screwball comedy directed by Howard Hawks and starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. My Favorite Wife (released in the UK as My Favourite Wife) is a 1940 Screwball comedy starring Irene Dunne Joseph Otto Kesselring ( 21 July 1902 - 5 November 1967) was an American Writer and Playwright known best for Arsenic and Old Lace is a play by American Playwright Joseph Kesselring, written in 1939 Preston Sturges ( August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959) originally Edmund Preston Biden was a celebrated Screenwriter and The Palm Beach Story is a romantic Screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, and starring Claudette Colbert, The Kid from Brooklyn is a 1946 Comedy film starring Danny Kaye and co-starring Virginia Mayo, Vera-Ellen, Steve Cochran, and Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House is a 1948 American Comedy film directed by H Fancy Pants is a 1950 American Comedy film, directed by George Marshall starring Lucille Ball and Bob Hope. I Love Lucy is an American Situation comedy, starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance and William Frawley Some Like It Hot is a 1959 Comedy film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack The Little Shop of Horrors is a 1960 Comedy film directed by Roger Corman. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World is a 1963 American Comedy film directed by Stanley Kramer about the madcap pursuit of $350000 The Producers is a 1968 feature-length Comedy film written and directed by Mel Brooks. Three's Company is an American Sitcom that aired from 1977 to 1984 on ABC. R. S. " (1979)
• Bosom Buddies (TV show) (1980-1982)
• Tootsie (1982)
• Victor Victoria (1982)
• Micki And Maude (1984)
• Ken Ludwig: "Lend Me a Tenor" (1986)
• Marblehead Manor (1987)
• Neil Simon: Rumors (1988)
• Funny Farm (1988)
• Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
• Weekend at Bernie's series (1989, 1993)
• Noises Off... (1992)
• Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
• Frasier (TV show) (1993-2004)
• Billy Van Zandt & Jane Milmore: "Confessions of a Dirty Blonde" (1996)
• 3rd Rock From the Sun (TV show) (1996-2001)
• Bowfinger
• Steve Martin: Adaptation of a 1911 Sternheim play The Underpants (2002) (Originally titled Die Hose)
• "The Party's Over" a play by Jay Parker (2007)

Performing teams who have appeared in farces:

• The Marx Brothers
• Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis
• Katharine Hepburn & Cary Grant
• Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy
• Bing Crosby & Bob Hope
• The Three Stooges
• Bud Abbott & Lou Costello
• Jack Lemmon & Walter Matthau

Actors and actresses who have appeared in farces

• Dan Aykroyd
• Lucille Ball
• John Candy
• Chevy Chase
• John Cleese
• Tom Hanks
• Danny Kaye
• Harvey Korman
• Christopher Lloyd
• Bill Murray
• Steve Martin
• Richard Pryor
• John Ritter
• Peter Sellers
• Martin Short
• Paxton Whitehead
• Gene Wilder
• Will Ferrell
• Jim Carrey

References

External links

• IMDB list of film and television farces
• Farce films at All Movie Guide

Allmovie (previously All Movie Guide) is a commercial database of information about Movie stars movies and television shows.

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