Everything about Farce totally explained
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. 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. Generally, there's a happy ending. The convention of
poetic justice isn't always observed: The protagonist may get away with what he or she's been trying to hide at all costs, even if it's a criminal act.
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. In that respect, farce is a natural companion of
satire. 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. See also
bedroom farce.
Japan has a centuries-old tradition of farce plays called
Kyogen. These plays are performed as comic relief during the long, serious
Noh plays.
Representative examples: A chronology
Britain
France
The Boy and the Blind Man, 13th century, oldest written French farce.
Molière: Tartuffe (1664)
Georges Feydeau: Le Dindon (1896) (aka Sauce for the Goose)
Octave Mirbeau : Farces et moralités
(1904).
Georges Feydeau: A Flea in Her Ear (1907)
Marc Camoletti: Boeing Boeing (1960) and Pyjama pour Six (1985) (aka Don't Dress for Dinner) (External Link)
Jean Poiret: La Cage aux Folles (1973)
Germany
Carl Laufs & Wilhelm Jacoby: Pension Schöller (1890)
Franz Arnold & Ernst Bach: Weekend im Paradies (1928) (External Link)
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 (External Link) & Wilson Collison: Getting Gertie's Garter (1927) (External Link)
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)
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.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 CarreyFurther Information
Get more info on 'Farce'.
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