The Difference Between Low and High Comedy

One of the major distinctions is between high and low comedy can be attributed to the style of writing, genre and and performance.

High comedy is that which evokes “intellectual laughter,” usually through the combats of wit and higher order thinking skills. Low Comedy is that which evokes “belly laughs from a visceral point of view, elicited from jokes, gags and slapstick humor.

Upper Class and High Brow Humor

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is a perfect example of High Comedy. The main characters come from the Upper Class, English society and the genre of humor while being from an aristocratic point of view is superficial, witty and entertaining.

The play centers around the High society people whom engage with like minded individuals pursing acceptable romances and discussing the love lives of those around them. Often these love interests are shallow, sentimental and at times farcical in nature.

Much of the script embeds witty utterances and exchanges throughout the play, thus evoking a higher order comedy in which stimulates the audience in amusing, entertaining and pleasurable ways.

The Importance of Being Earnest uses the fourth wall as a way for the audience to ‘look in.’ Although the play has elements of farce with a light dramatic composition marked by broadly satirical comedy and improbable plot, it does not suppose to be boisterous, slapstick or vulgar to get laughs. The audience is to experience a depiction of how others see the Upper class and the stereotypical ways in which characters are portrayed.

The genius of William Shakespeare, the middle class playwright from Stratford upon Avon, had the sublime ability to mix both high and low comedy in the same play. Both employ high and low brow humour and very successfully. For exampe, Love’s Labor’s Lost, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, and Much Ado About Nothing for examples.

Imagine standing among the lower class watching a Shakespearean play, throwing tomatoes and hollering at the actors when parts of the play would allow.

Also imagine the` hoi polloi sitting in the balcony seats above, all there for the views of the peasants in the circle below them.

A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream is a comedy which is centered around high status couples searching for their true love and inadvertently finding love with the wrong person. In the mix was a troupe of ‘rude mechanicals’ who were boisterous actors and ‘Puck’ a imp like magical creature who places as asses head on one member of the acting troupe. The genius of Shakespeare catering his plays towards all members of society from that era.

Modern examples of High comedy

It is a genre distinguished by elegance and wit and intended to appeal to the intellect. We can also see this genre modern forms of entertainment.

Most of the laughs in a comedy of manners genre play or production are influenced from subtle breaches, generally presented with well-crafted wordplay. It appeals to the intellect where audience have to work somewhat for meaning.

The Country Wife is a Restoration comedy written in 1675 by William Wycherley. This play is a good example of High Comedy. The play features anti Puritan values and had a sexual explicitness even for that era.

She Stoops to conquer is also a great example of High Comedy or Comedy of Manners in which. This play supposes that lite society allows the the comedy to arise from the gap between the characters’ attempts to preserve standards of polite behaviour and their true behaviour.

Movies Comedy of Manners

Breakfast At Tiffany’s is based on a high class escort who flirts with her neighbor.

Emma based on the classic novel by Jane Austen who explores the concerns and difficulties of genteel women living in Georgian–Regency England.

Both of these films have high class comedy, which is more subtle and obtuse, rather than slap-stick and in your face.

Being John Malkovich is also a great movie with a high brow content.

Television Programs

Seinfeld The continuing misadventures of neurotic New York City stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his equally neurotic New York City friends.

Fraser a Radio Psychiatrist who moves back to his hometown and lives with her father. Frasier epitomises a synthesis of upper-class sophistication, yet is still capable of working-class enjoyments.

Commercials

High comedy often uses satire, irony, exposing, deriding, denouncing or vices which are utilized in movies commercials and television programs.

This New Zealand ‘Cheese’ commercial depicts two elderly men talking about issue of having more people, brings more business which evokes a tipping point.

The commercial features the rush of the citylife folk, juxtaposed with the peaceful and nature centred, diary scene in which the two men are seen in eating their cheese and crackers.

The advert plays to the heartsrings, with lazy countryside break two elderly grandfather type actors eating cheese in an ideal background.

Their laughter portrays their denouncing temperaments and disdain for the crazy busy life of city-folk near them.

Examples of Low Brow Comedy

Low Comedy seeks to evoke laughs through slapstick humour, pranks, gags and low brow jokes often sexual in nature. This type of comedy tends to appeal to people’s raw, unabashed organic humor. Quick to make people laugh and does not tend to make people think deeply on the issues at hand.

From the Ancient Greeks with their Satyr plays which usually played between the more serious dramatic or epic plays written by playwrights such as Aeschylus and Socrates. The Satyr plays allowed the audience to release pent up tension and relax into the festivals which plays were shown.

They featured choruses of satyrs, which were based on Greek mythology. They were rife with mock drunkenness, brazen sexuality (including phallic props), pranks, sight gags, and general merriment.

Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin often played characters who were bumbling, clumsy and unaware of the antics which played out around them. They were the epitome of slap-stick humor. Their physical and often dangerous antics caused audiences to gasp in awe and laughter at the same time.

The humor usually brings about belly laughter in a spontaneous manner, where the audience aren’t always required to truly think deeply on the matter.

Many plays of this genre involve the work of clowns, comedians and and mimes. Clowns tend to use physicality and bawdy humour to make an impact. With their painted happy and or sad faces they evoke raw and obvious emotions from their audiences.

Of course stand up comics often operate between the high and low brow humour. Some favor one genre over the other. For instance, latenight talk shows have traditionally utilized high brow humour.

Comedians such as Michael Key and Jordan Peele often use a mixture of high and low brown humour with a great deal of success.

Depending on the comic, they can successfully perform between sophisticated and low brow humour. Exaggerated facial expressions, funny walks are examples of low brow.

Low comedy appeals very well to young audiences, especially children. From the showing bearing the bellies to the patting of the butt to the ‘accidental’ falls and trips. Children love to laugh at obvious circumstances which go awry.

Children laugh at jokes which aren’t talked about such as toilet humour and swearing. Many low brow comedians to resort this humour with success depending on the audience.

A good example of low comedy, where the thinking is done for us.

Farce

Farce is a type of comedy which involves characters using script and inserting more than what is required. The Farce of a show seems to take on a life of its own without the guidance of the writer. Jokes, gags or pranks are often thought of as farce in a show.

Low Comedy and High Comedy have distinct characteristics which have defined them throughout the Centuries regarding the history of theater. All types of comedy are produced to amuse or make an audience laugh. And all comedy has their place.

In a Nutshell

If you are thinking of researching a specific type of comedy for a skit, group exercise of performance of some kind, do try and use some of the ideas from this page to help. Comedy is brilliant in allowing people to escape from their lives and let the sunshine in. Which kind of comedy do you think you’ll use is dependant upon your intended audience and intentions.

[wpforms id=”155″ title=”false” description=”false”]