What is comedy?

Today we're going to learn about comedy. Soon we will be reading Twelfth Night, which is a comic play by Shakespeare, and in order to really understand comedy, we need to understand different types of comedy. We also need to explore and think about the ways in which dramatic elements can be considered funny. In a Think-Pair-Share activity, you're going to use the links below to answer some questions at the end of this blog post.

Farce

Monty Python “Dead Parrot”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vuW6tQ0218&feature=related

Satire

South Park History of America/NRA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLzo9pOXa-s

Dramatic Clown

The Movie The Court Jester
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr8hPi93xZQ

High Comedy

The Movie Clueless
http://www.jaman.com/movie/Clueless/0OK31mRjz_WU/

Low Comedy

2 And A Half Men -- “Cupcakes”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3u9OpyJYMk

Shakespearean Comedy

The Movie She's The Man
http://www.spike.com/video/shes-man-you-could/2703969

Questions

1.) With your partner read the definitions in the link for your term. After reading, work with your partner to create a definition you like that is easy for you to understand.

2.) Write your definition in your blog.

3.) Watch the clip associated with your term and answer the following questions in your blog:

- Why is this clip an example of your comic term?

- What makes it funny?

4.) Now watch the other clips and look at the other terms. Your goal is to understand what each type of comedy is about.

- Out of all of these kinds of comedy, what is your favorite?

- What is your least favorite?

________________________________________

After answering the questions everyone was assigned parts for Twelfth Night. each person was given a character and an understudy to make sure that there will always be someone to act each part.

We then read to page six in Twelfth Night.