The Satirical Essence Of Monty Python Imbibed Into Cotemporary Theatre

Monty Python the Quest for the Holy Grail is a decently funny film mocking the stories of knights, women, religion, and good vs. evil. So far through this first nine weeks we have read and learned about the different but similar themes of Medieval Literature. The Medieval times took place in England around 449-1489 A.D. The way of life of the Medieval people’s way of life is a whole different way of living than what it is too me. They lived by the land and also raised their own farm animals.

When people think of theatre they usually think of acting, directing, and maybe script writers. They would correct, all of those disciplines are part of theatre but there's more to theatre than just that; however, due to personal interests those specific disciplines will be exactly what this essay is about. What most people don't think of when they think of theatre is how much thought is put into it. The different type of methods, not just for acting but, for directing, and script writing as well. Everyone has a different method of running a show but this paper will discuss some of the legendary people that have influenced theatre the most.

Theatre is a complex art that attempts to weave stories of varying degrees of intricacies with the hope that feelings will be elicited from the audience. Samuel Beckett’s most famous work in the theatre world, however, is Waiting for Godot, the play in which, according to well-known Irish critic Vivian Mercier, “nothing happens, twice.” Beckett pioneered many different levels of groundbreaking and avant-garde theatre and had a large influence on the section of the modern idea of presentational theatre as opposed to the representational. His career seemingly marks the end of modernism in theatre and the creation of what is known as the “Theatre of the Absurd.”

The play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Shakespeare effectively engages the modern audience through the means of comedic conventions within themes and characters. Comedy conventions such as racial and cultural slurs don’t engage the audience as successfully as they did during the 16th century. Since then, our perceptions have changed because of the impacts of historic events. However, the use of double entendre and gender roles continue to amuse modern day audiences. The Merchant of Venice is classified as a problem play/comedy because it deals with contentious social issues between the characters on stage, who typically represent conflicting points of view within a realistic social context along with comedic conventions. Written by the illustrious William Shakespeare about a merchant of Venice who must default in a large loan provided by an abused Jewish moneylender. Shakespeare uses some of the fundamental aspects of society in conjunction with subtle comedic conventions in order to appeal to a modern audience.

Warm up your vocal cords because you’re going to want to sing along to this youth theatre company’s musical revue. The performance showcases a wide range of music – from energetic group numbers to stirring ballads that will have you weeping in your hanky. Whether you enjoy new smash hits like Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen or classics like A Chorus Line and Hairspray, there’s something sure to please everyone.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail tells the story King Arthur and his knights’ quest for the Holy Grail. This film depicts the adventures that the group encounters along their search. This movie satirizes medieval culture. Set in England in the year 932, the film Monty Python and The Holy Grail uses satirical techniques to expose classist societies and aggressive behavior, two targets with medieval history and modern day relevance.

XTC’s composer Andy Partridge considered Easter Theatre as one of the most perfect songs of his career. Featured as the Lead Single in Apple Venus Volume 1, Andy intentionally designed the lyrics uniquely, purportedly to exorcise the ever-present influences of the Beatles and the Beach Boys’ Brain Wilson. It is commonplace in rock music that every band has to espouse some Beatles-que lyrics and of course borrow to some extent from the genius of Brian Wilson, who is regarded as the greatest composer of all times. This paper investigates whether Andy was successful in avoiding such common influences, and more so those of the Beatles’ Penny Lane, which was done by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

Comedy is an integral part of our daily lives and routines. It can be as simple as telling a joke to our friends to as complicated as a political cartoon depicting a satirical image of a president committing a crime. However, according to author Alain de Botton, comedy is a conduit that is used to express ideas that society is not generally willing to propound in public. It is clear that the role of humorists is not only to humor an audience, but also to provide a channel for the expression of ideas that are not necessarily ones that we would say to the public, making their role crucial to the functionality of society.

During the mid-century of American theatre, the curtain rose to reveal a new and different type of performance. Audience goers were used to the stylized works of Anton Chekov and George Bernard-Shaw, whose European classics were constantly being produced in the United States. Actors, scenery, and costumes were limited to the refined themes of classical acting. Theatre was growing bland with each revival. Nothing was being done to push the envelope, until American writers claimed the stage. Authors including Arthur Miller, Lillian Hellman and Lorraine Hansberry brought an element of reality to the theatre. Their works have gone down in history and their influences on

The ideas of Bertolt Brecht (1898-1965) changed the theatre in many ways. Brecht along with Erwin Piscator developed the style of Epic theatre style contrasting to previous accepted styles. Presentational in form, Epic theatre is a vehicle for social comment through techniques such as: alienation, historification, eclectic influences (highly Asian), constructivism in scenery, disjointed and illogical scene placement, ordinary clothing and lighting, the use of music to detach the audience from emotion, placards and signs and projected images. Didactic in nature Brecht’s works aim to challenge the

Realism provides only amoral observation, while absurdism rejects even the possibility of debate. (Frances Babbage, Augusto Boal). The cynicism of this remark reflects the aberrant attitude towards absurdism, yet there is truth to it. Theatre of the absurd is an esoteric avant-garde style of theatre based on the principles of existentialism that looks at the world without any assumption of purpose. Existentialism and Theatre of the Absurd became identified with a cultural movement that flourished in Europe in the 1940s and 1950s, after the Second World War. The idea that man starts with nothing and ends with nothing is a common theme amongst most absurd plays. Despite this strange philosophy, Theatre of the

From countries across the world, such as China, Indonesia, and Africa, to the United States, theatre is all similar in implementing theatre. Such productions including Raja Edeupus, Master Qi and Monkey King, and Julius Caesar all show different sides of their own culture throughout the piece. For example, Raja Edeupus shows their Indonesian culture through their praising of a master and their artistic design within costumes and setting. Much like the Chinese culture widely expressed in Master Qi and Monkey King that utilized martial arts with dancing to implement a story. Likewise, Julius Caesar played in Africa, shows traditional African dancing through drums and song to show their own political beliefs. In America, we also have productions

Today, comedy news shows are becoming progressively more popular, and in so, becoming a new source of information – which may, or may not, be a positive consequence. Most comedians twist the truth in order to connect to people and make them laugh. The article “A Serious Business: What Can Comedy Do?” suggests some comedians “use logic to make painful things make sense” (O’Hara 108). Satirical comedy acts as a relief mechanism in that it comforts people that may be wary about a certain subject, especially in the realm of politics. Similarly, Peter McGraw and Joel Warner discuss how comedy can act as a coping mechanism. The authors conclude that “activists all over the world have been using comedy as a form of political protest” (McGraw & Warner 147). Iain Ellis writes about how political satirists do more than just deliver jokes, they use satire “to expose, ridicule, and–implicitly–call for action and change” (Ellis 152). Ellis contends that comedy can make a difference by its constant presence in our daily lives. Socrates, Plato, and even shows like South Park believe that humor is a way to persuade others. One of the most effective expressions of humor to affect social change has been the inclusion of satire. Although humor often provides people a welcome escape from the burdens of their daily lives, the satirical comedy deconstructs social issues in various ways as a means to persuade the

At the turn of the century Paris was one of the capitals of culture and art to the outside world. However, the truth of the matter was that this taboo-ridden society was being run by an aristocracy that was repressing the arts. Naturally, when World War 1 broke out, the suppressed French society finally had a release and a rebellion against order arose. WWI specifically affected the theatre of French and it’s aftermath. From the ashes of war the avant-garde theatre grew and styles such as Dadaism and Surrealism were born. It was both the climate of culture before the war and the devastation of the war that lead to the outbreak of avant-garde theatre in France.

I will look at Brecht’s theory of Epic theatre, tracing the beginnings