Date of Award
2016
Document Type
Thesis
Department
Theatre Arts
First Reader
Professor Eric Phillips
Second Reader
Professor Drew Hampton
Third Reader
Professor Tiffany Eurich
Abstract
People are constantly in motion. We move among the earth, among each other, and within our own body. Movement is one of our greatest means of communicating ideas and emotions with each other. Sometimes, words just aren't enough. We need to see something to comprehend its meaning or to feel the emotion the situation is trying to stir up. Experiencing comedy is no exception. That is where the concept of physical comedy comes in.
Physical comedy has been growing its roots since the beginning of time. It has grown and evolved to effectively captivate audiences in various mediums throughout history. As technology and art has progressed, physical comedy has transformed to include itself into those mediums. From old time vaudeville to modern cinema, artists have been using their bodies and actions to create humor.
In the following chapters, we will delve into the world of physical comedy from its history, why and how it works, the role gender plays, how it has been transforming into modern times, and where it will go from here.
Recommended Citation
Suit, Kathleen, "Physical Comedy: From Stage to Screen" (2016). Honors Theses. 225.
https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/honors_theses/225
Included in
Acting Commons, Performance Studies Commons, Theatre History Commons