Antics of the Reduced Shakespeare Company

Comedy

Dr. Richard Regan

Spring 2005

Office hours: Mon 1:30-3, Wed 1-3, Thurs 1:30-3, and by appointment.

Texts: for editions of the works below, see the print syllabus

Three major papers, 7-10 pp. These may be rewritten after a conference. Late papers may be reduced in grade.

Reaction papers, 3-4 pp. Generally one a week, based on classroom discussion and video, and closely related to comic theory (handouts). These will be graded √+, √, √- and can raise or lower your average. Late papers may be reduced in grade.

Attendance: each cut lowers your average 1 point. Documented excuses only (Deans' office, Health Service, faculty advisor). Excessive absences may result in a failing grade.


Students with documented learning disabilities, please see me. Alternative methods of testing and evaluation are available.


Schedule (* indicates film/tape also)

January 18 - Theories of humor; working definition of comedy, parody/satire


January 25 - Origins of comedy.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum*
Roman Comedy and farce.

Literary Romance
Read
: "Introduction" (Corrigan), Bergson, Freud, Bentley.

 

Synopsis and Background

From Stage to Screen

History, Lyrics and Sound Files

Sondheim.com


February 1 - Candide.
Types of comedy. Comic characters. Origins of Camp.
Read: Frye, Sontag.

 

DEVELOP PAPER TOPIC

Camp, Kitsch, and Sontag

Notes on Camp

Camp and Drag

Camp: An Introduction

Resources for the Study of Candide

Leonard Bernstein's Candide

Bernstein's Studio

PBS "Candide" in Concert (January 2005)


February 8 - The Graduate*
Romantic (Shakespearian) Comedy.
Read:
Sypher, Santayana (Mardi Gras)

Graduate Page

More Reviews (click on links)

The Graduate - 30 Years Later


February 15 - The Miser*
Moliere and the comedy of the mechanical.
Read:
Lanson, Potts.

PAPER DUE

A Production of The Miser

Another Production


February 22 - Man and Superman.
On Approval.*

Comedy of Manners.
Comic Closure.
Read: Santayana, Lehman, Park.

The Shavian Ideal

Bernard Shaw: A Brief Biography

G.B.S.: The Life of George Bernard Shaw


March 2 - Chocolat.*
Comic fable and allegory.


Journal Of Religion and Film review

Rotten Tomatoes.com


SPRING BREAK


March 15 - Absurdist and surrealist comedy.
Screwball comedy.
Monty Python and the Marx Brothers.
Read: Kerr, Watts, Grotjahn.


PAPER TOPIC.

Why a Duck? (Marx Brothers page)

Pythonline

Complete Python TV scripts

Monty Python Lego

for Screwball Comedy:

from the Modern Times film site

(includes audio files and film stills)

Screwball Comedy

Home of the Screwball


March 22 - Brave New World
Utopia and dystopia.
Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb*

Read:
Corrigan.

 

A Huxley page

What Happened to Aldous Huxley

Aldous Huxley: Brave New World

Dr. Strangelove review

Official Kubrick Page

The "Pie Fight" Ending


March 29 - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead*
Read:
Duprey.

 

PAPER DUE

Lecture on Stoppard (and Beckett)

A Stoppard website


April 5 - Catch-22.
Waiting for Godot.
Black comedy.
Grotesque. (Click on "Go to Chapter 3" link for Heller.)
Read:
Cohn

A Heller page

"Deadly Unconscious Logics in Joseph Heller's Catch-22"

Links to the Grotesque

The Samuel Beckett Endpage

Samuel Beckett Resources and Links

"BECKETT'S GODOT: 'A bundle of broken mirrors'"


April 12 - Fargo*
Read: Suzanne Langer, "Feeling and Form."

A note on Fargo

Janet Maslin's NYT review

Coenesque


April 19 - Sense and Sensibility*

Jane Austen Information Page


April 26 - Conclusion. FINAL PAPER DUE (FOR REWRITE)

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