Prowriter)) Comedy in Television and Theater There

¶ … Prowriter)) Comedy in Television and Theater There are many forms of comedy, but two of the largest distinctions are high comedy and low comedy. "High comedy[…]evokes "intellectual laughter" -- thoughtful laughter from spectators who remain emotionally detached from the action" (Abrams, Harpham 51). A television show which incorporates high comedy is Monty Python's Flying Circus.

"The Dead Parrot Sketch" is one such example of satire and witty banter which requires the audience, or spectators, to not only have a sizeable vocabulary (as John Cleese and Michael Palin exchange a myriad of terms for describing the parrot's state) but must be aware of the satirical value of some of Cleese's lines.

"If you want to get anything done in this country, you've got to complain until you're blue in the mouth," Cleese says after being exasperated in his efforts to prove that the parrot he purchased is, in fact, dead. Later in the sketch he comments, "That's intercity rail for you," implying in that scene that the underground train system is deficient (even though he has, in fact, arrived at his destination).

Low comedy, on the other hand, "has little or no intellectual appeal, but undertakes to arouse laughter by jokes, or "gags," and by slapstick humor and boisterous or clownish physical activity; it is, therefore, one of the common components of farce" (Abrams, Harpham 51). Along with most sitcoms, Seinfeld makes use of low comedy. Consider the character Kramer, whose own brand of physical comedy, while not requiring much thought, was a constant source for laughter on the show.

Other plot devices, such as mistaken identity (common in low comedy), can be seen in episodes like "The Opera" wherein Jerry and Elaine's miscommunication about the identification of "Joey" leaves them both frightened of "Crazy Joe Divola." In Jane Martin's play Tattoo, there are five very distinctive characters, each granted their own dialogue style that helps to set them apart. Link speaks with a sense of humor regarding her Russian origin. She makes comments such as "He [Vladimir] is Russion. All Russians are coming to your country, get ready" (1.1.22).

Jenny is very straight-forward and to the point. Her lines, particularly when spoken to William, reflect this. As for Jones, she is more focused on the emotional trauma of realizing the man with whom she has a relationship is in a relationship with other women. Her dialogue tends to be more frantic and emotionally charged. Vladimir's personality comes out more through his actions, as he has very few spoken lines. His willingness to make jokes with Link, and his style in so doing, points to a sardonic sense of humor.

Finally, William speaks quickly and dismissively (mostly to Jenny) until she reveals his choice: a tattoo describing his offences or that she distributes a letter detailing the same, thus ending his career as a prosperous lawyer. Once she reveals this, his dialogue becomes pleading in nature. William is a prime example for how this play treats human nature. When first confronted with the truth of his transgressions against Jenny, Link and Jones, William becomes defensive. He then attempts to convince.