What is Humour?
What is humour? Laughter can unite us. A shared enjoyment of humour can break down the barriers of language and culture. Why do we collapse with laughter at the sight of some unfortunate pedestrian slipping on a discarded banana skin or skiing into a clear glass window? It could be that slapstick is a craft ably displayed by Sir Bruce Forsyth and Sir Norman Wisdom, OBE in their master decorator's approach to doing up a room. Simple acts can turn the everyday into a memorable moment of laughter. Can there ever be something better than Sir Charlie Chaplin KBE with his added pathos? The unmistakable chap with his distinct walk and identifiable stick. His black and white silent masterpieces of comedy were almost guaranteed to bring a tear of laughter at times when major incidents were being seen and yet how brave some of his underlaid ideas were to portray an emotive sentiment out of what would have otherwise have been a scene of conflict.
Some comedians have a charisma and presence, they can have the audience in stitches with hardly a spoken word uttered. Tommy Cooper although a member of the magical circle found the gift to entertain with countless failed tricks. Frankie Howerd, OBE a regular in the carry on films had an infectious persona and soon had the audience under his control laughing away at an expression or mere look. Then there are comedy couples like Morecambe and Wise, the two Ronnies and Ant and Dec. Age old humour that has been written into a performance that needs those two right individuals to act out.
Why when a man puts a dress on and steps on the stage does the audience already anticipate outrageous antics? Danny La Rue, OBE and Dame Edna spring to mind in all their glory of regalia, sequins and feathers. A more sombre approach was lead by Tony Hancock and Les Dawson whose mother in law jokes caused some uproar. Humour can reflect history and mark the opinion of an age. It seems as if some comedians have a disregard of what people think of them to a certain extent and it can be argued that self depreciation is an art in itself. People will travel miles to see their much loved favourite humour led act. Behind the curtains real life was playing out its twists of cruel fate for many in their own personal lives and like the circus clowns with made up faces depicting tears many comedians seem to teach us it is necessary to be professional and give a great performance no matter what they have been through. Does humour mean that no matter what tragic event is inflicted on us we have to carry on, can these experiences be the inspiration for some to find humour out of life's difficulties?
If we learn anything from some of the most loved comedies, it is that life may not always go as planned. I was on holiday and on a ferry in the Irish sea when a series of happenings occurred almost like an episode out of You've been framed. The ferry was crowded and the only space was a few seats left empty behind a door that turned out to be to the men’s toilet. This was no ordinary door, it was unique and there was a few obstacles to overcome. The only trouble was not many people seemed to know about the discreet obstacles, one being that the handle was loose, there was a spring loaded catch that needed the handle to be fitted on to for use, oh and if that wasn't enough one had to act with skill, fitting in the handle and using it as it stayed on its spring. The first hapless passenger who had not known about any of the door's finer features grasped the handle and after pushing down pulled towards himself only to find himself flying backwards holding the handle. He regained his stance and threaded the handle back and carefully holding the door went inside. It did not take long for the whole process to be repeated by the next passenger. Confused expressions were replaced by ones of anger and then determination but my entertainment was rudely cut short when I found out why the seats around me had been left vacant. There was an almighty blast from the ship's fog horn accompanied by a downpour of water issuing from the bell of the horn. I was drenched and shocked, I looked at the wet puddle on the deck and felt like an extra out of a notorious Carry On up on Deck film. The word Comedy and Timing came to mind but I just took it in good spirit as there was nothing else I could do. Unfortunately the weather had taken a turn for the worse as bright sun light had disappeared and was replaced by murky fog. The ship had a see-saw pitch and my dinner was demanding to be released up through my mouth, in desperation I made it to the ship's rail with my mouth wide open and a forceful wind hit me full in the face and like a boxer who had been hit by a far too worthy opponent I went tripping and skidding along the deck in a somewhat clumsy meets there is nothing to see here of a performance. It was only then that I realised how fortunate I had been. I almost lost my glasses and clutched at the ship's rail as my feet had lost contact with the deck. The shock and fear had made me forget about feeling sick as a far worse thing could have happened and at that time I could not swim. Apart from that life threatening fact I would have been stranded in a rather large pool... the sea!
If anything my humour filled trip on a ferry taught me a few things about life. Something that many comedy sketches seem to do is transfer a sense of wit along with a much loved comical scene and in a way my trip was a lesson that taught me not to be so concerned about small things when bigger things could happen.
Some comedians have a charisma and presence, they can have the audience in stitches with hardly a spoken word uttered. Tommy Cooper although a member of the magical circle found the gift to entertain with countless failed tricks. Frankie Howerd, OBE a regular in the carry on films had an infectious persona and soon had the audience under his control laughing away at an expression or mere look. Then there are comedy couples like Morecambe and Wise, the two Ronnies and Ant and Dec. Age old humour that has been written into a performance that needs those two right individuals to act out.
Why when a man puts a dress on and steps on the stage does the audience already anticipate outrageous antics? Danny La Rue, OBE and Dame Edna spring to mind in all their glory of regalia, sequins and feathers. A more sombre approach was lead by Tony Hancock and Les Dawson whose mother in law jokes caused some uproar. Humour can reflect history and mark the opinion of an age. It seems as if some comedians have a disregard of what people think of them to a certain extent and it can be argued that self depreciation is an art in itself. People will travel miles to see their much loved favourite humour led act. Behind the curtains real life was playing out its twists of cruel fate for many in their own personal lives and like the circus clowns with made up faces depicting tears many comedians seem to teach us it is necessary to be professional and give a great performance no matter what they have been through. Does humour mean that no matter what tragic event is inflicted on us we have to carry on, can these experiences be the inspiration for some to find humour out of life's difficulties?
If we learn anything from some of the most loved comedies, it is that life may not always go as planned. I was on holiday and on a ferry in the Irish sea when a series of happenings occurred almost like an episode out of You've been framed. The ferry was crowded and the only space was a few seats left empty behind a door that turned out to be to the men’s toilet. This was no ordinary door, it was unique and there was a few obstacles to overcome. The only trouble was not many people seemed to know about the discreet obstacles, one being that the handle was loose, there was a spring loaded catch that needed the handle to be fitted on to for use, oh and if that wasn't enough one had to act with skill, fitting in the handle and using it as it stayed on its spring. The first hapless passenger who had not known about any of the door's finer features grasped the handle and after pushing down pulled towards himself only to find himself flying backwards holding the handle. He regained his stance and threaded the handle back and carefully holding the door went inside. It did not take long for the whole process to be repeated by the next passenger. Confused expressions were replaced by ones of anger and then determination but my entertainment was rudely cut short when I found out why the seats around me had been left vacant. There was an almighty blast from the ship's fog horn accompanied by a downpour of water issuing from the bell of the horn. I was drenched and shocked, I looked at the wet puddle on the deck and felt like an extra out of a notorious Carry On up on Deck film. The word Comedy and Timing came to mind but I just took it in good spirit as there was nothing else I could do. Unfortunately the weather had taken a turn for the worse as bright sun light had disappeared and was replaced by murky fog. The ship had a see-saw pitch and my dinner was demanding to be released up through my mouth, in desperation I made it to the ship's rail with my mouth wide open and a forceful wind hit me full in the face and like a boxer who had been hit by a far too worthy opponent I went tripping and skidding along the deck in a somewhat clumsy meets there is nothing to see here of a performance. It was only then that I realised how fortunate I had been. I almost lost my glasses and clutched at the ship's rail as my feet had lost contact with the deck. The shock and fear had made me forget about feeling sick as a far worse thing could have happened and at that time I could not swim. Apart from that life threatening fact I would have been stranded in a rather large pool... the sea!
If anything my humour filled trip on a ferry taught me a few things about life. Something that many comedy sketches seem to do is transfer a sense of wit along with a much loved comical scene and in a way my trip was a lesson that taught me not to be so concerned about small things when bigger things could happen.
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