Slapstick comedy refers to physical theater comedy based on deliberately clumsy actions and humorously embarrassing events. Hence the word ‘slap’ and ‘stick’ someone to slap and a stick to hit with. This type of humor was popular in the early 1900’s to today.
SlapStick Examples
For the early slapstick examples think of the actors Buster Keaton, The Stooges and Charlie Chaplin. These are some of our most famous slapstick comedians of the last Century. They were were known for their larger than life antics. They stick with us due to their innovation and creativity today.
Charlie Chaplin probably the most well known slap-stick actor. He was born in 1889 in London, England. Chaplin was known for being an incredible talent in film-making, directing, comedy, and composing.
Charlie Chaplin is best known for his movie ‘The Tramp.’ His best known character that of a tramp who encounters a number of crazy occurrences where he happens to the victim of his own antics.
With larger than life characterization and mannerisms, plus hugely impressive physical stunts, he captured the heart of many people from all over the world.
His stunts were real and carefully planned out. He used a stick in his work, hence the word slapstick humor.
Buster Keaton was an American comedian and director in the early 19th Century. He was very well known for his deadpan and slapstick humor. He was known as the comedian who never smiled. One of his most famous silent movies was The Great Stone Face. Buster like Charlie Chaplin used plenty of physicality in his humor.
Both Keaton and Chaplin wrote, starred and directed their own movies.
Keaton was a visual storyteller, where he told his stories through action. He preferred to use gestures and pantomime for his acting rather than overrun his movies with cue cards, which was the stock way of doing things in the silent film era. And he did this with great success.
He also believed that you shouldn’t do the same gesture of gag in the same movie twice. His body language was what told the story. One of his stipulations was that his antics or gags HAD to be real. That meant that gags only had one go at getting it right. He truly was a complete genius at physical and slap-stick comedy.
Laurel and Hardy were a comedy duo from the United States. They were best known for the funny slapstick comedy in the early era of the Hollywood black and white film.
Their premis was having phsyical arguments which involved in slapsick humour. Much of their humor was in milking and idea and developing slapstick around that it.
Laurel and Hardy enjoyed playing on words and often made a mockery of common metaphors:
- “You can lead a horse to water but a pencil must be led.” (Laurel, Brats)[37]
- “I was dreaming I was awake but I woke up and found meself asleep.” (Laurel, Oliver the Eighth)
- “A lot of weather we’ve been having lately.” (Hardy, Way Out West)
Modern Slapstick Comedy
Jim Carey the rubber faced, action induced, unrelenting, energizer bunny of the modern film genre. One of his most iconic films’ Ace Ventura Pet Detective’ was his break out movie which was filled with physical antics. Carey is will known for using physicality and exaggerated facial expressions to portray characters. Personal taste as each to their own.
Other movies Carey starred in also embedded his physical characteristics for example, in the movie Liar liar. Carey’s character a narcissistic, self involved lawyer, who has an affair with his boss. When his child asks him to tell the truth, Carey finds himself not being able to tell the truth. This evokes punches, slaps and falls throughout the film which is a perfect example of slapstick humour. Personally after 25 years, I still laugh.
Other modern slapstick movie include ‘Airplane’ which starred the late Lesley Nielson, a deadpan actor who always packed a punch with his acting. His sense of humor seemed to portray a character appearing oblivious to everything that’s happening around him.
An interesting tidbit is that highly successful Film critic Roger Ebert once called him “the Laurence Olivier of spoofs”.
Mr Bean portrayed by UK actor Rohan Atkinson is an iconic role memorable by children and adult alike.
In Rowan’s own words, be believes that Mr. Bean is a child in a grown man’s body. the interesting point is besides the acclaim of the show, another reason for the show’s appeal in hundreds of areas worldwide is the fact that the show used very little intelligible dialogue, making it much more accessible to people who knew little or no English. The physical antics still present which makes a staple slapstick humor.
Rowan Atkinson starred in the well known in the television series Blackadder. Although each series is set in a different era, all follow the misfortunes of Edmund Blackadder (played by Atkinson), who in each is a member of a British family dynasty present at significant periods and places in British history. Implied is that the Blackadder character is a descendant of the previous one (the end theme lyrics of series 2 episode “Head” specify that he is the great-grandson of the previous), although it is never specified how or when any of the Blackadders (who are usually bachelors) managed to father children.
Blackadder’s character was bold, arrogant and completely self-centred throughout the series. He would use his sidekick Baldwin to take the fall so to speak in every episode.
Often Blackadder would treat Baldwin with contempt giving him a sideswipe on the head when he was miffed with him.
The interesting premise was how the program depicted Blackadder in a number of scenarios, during different time periods. this made for an interesting slap-stick comedy series.
The humor in the show was usually physical with Blackadder hitting Baldwin across the head whenever he was annoyed with him.
Atkinson was an early writer of the show. With silent actions and interactions, Mr. Bean was ceratinly a character in which slapstick is an inherent characteristic throughout the series.
Where Did Slapstick Theater Originate?
Slapstick comes from the world of Commedia dell’arte an Italian form of theater which was most popular in the 16th and 17th Centuries. Actors typically wear masks and adopt an over the top, highly illustrated form of acting.
During the shows, someone in the troupe would hold two pieces of wood and slap them together when a character would fall, hit someone or emphasize an issue. This style of comedy became standard form and influenced our more modern styles of theatre including puppetry.
What is the difference between high and low comedy check out my post here.
Slapstick with Puppets
Slapstick humor can been seen in all theater genres, including that of puppetry. From the traditional keystone cop batten hitting, to the the well known Italian ‘Punch and Judy Shows.’ Moreover the theatrics of Punch who throughout the show manages to back-hand and belt Judy when the moment arises, all for the sake of humor.
Jim Henson the father of The Muppet Show: A deliberate homage to the days of vaudeville. Jim Henson also famously opined that if you couldn’t think of an ending for a sketch, have a character blow up or eat the other.
The Muppet Show was a television program geared towards members of a Vaudeville theater group, who would often center their shows around a famous celebrity. From the physical theatrics of Miss Piggy hand chopping her Beau Kermit the Frog, when he didn’t meet her needs, to the antics of many of the characters complimenting the main stars.
Famous Slapstick Puppets
| Puppets | Miss Piggy |
| Kermit the Frog | |
| Fuzzy Bear | |
| Gonzo | |
| Scooter | |
| Floyd Peppa | |
| Crazy Harry | |
| Statler | |
| Beaker | |
| The Band |
| Famous Slapstick Movies |
| Dumb and Dumber |
| There’s Something About Mary |
| Airplane |
| Police Academy (all) |
| Ace Ventura Pet Detective |
| Liar Liar |
| American Pie |
| Ground Hog Day |
| Ghost Busters |
| The Naked Gun |
Escapism and Joyful Entertainment: Slapstick humor provides a form of escapism and joyful entertainment. It allows the audience to temporarily detach from reality and immerse themselves in the absurdity and lightheartedness of the comedic performances, providing a much-needed release of laughter and amusement.
